Black-owned, vegan restaurant in Shreveport, Vegans on the Run, awarded $20k grant to promote healthy eating in community

SHREVEPORT, La. (KSLA) – Vegans on the Run, a family-owned and operated vegan food service operation in Shreveport, has been awarded a $20,000 grant to promote healthy eating in the community.

The eatery is one of five Black-owned recipients of the 2021 Plant Grants from Violife. The goal of the grant is to make plant-based meals more tasty, affordable, and available in various communities. This year, the grants were given specifically to Black-owned businesses.

PROGRAM OVERVIEW

“Plant Grants is a new multi-year grants program that promotes plant-based eating by providing charitable funding, education and mentorship to grantees to make plant-based foods more accessible, affordable and available in local communities. This inaugural year is proudly presented by Upfield’s Violife brand.

The 2021 program recognizes the impact the COVID-19 pandemic has had on Black-owned restaurants and aims to help these businesses recover from these challenges. Restaurants are often the economic and cultural center of their communities. Which is why the 2021 grants program supports restaurants’ recovery while also helping to fulfill the ever-growing interest in plant-based foods by generations of consumers.

Grant recipients will receive a grant, as well as inspiration on menu development and guidance on working with plant-based ingredients through coaching from pioneering plant-based chefs.” -violifefoods.com

The five restaurants will each receive $20,000, as well as coaching from the program’s top chefs, Laricia Chandler Baker and Lemel Durrah, on how to better utilize plant-based ingredients, plus marketing, business, and growth tips.

Vegans on the Run posted about the exciting news on their Facebook page Tuesday, Sept. 21.

“We are still reeling about this wonderful news for Vegans on the Run. We are excited about the opportunity for our community, Shreveport and Louisiana,” the post reads.

Other winners of the grant are:

• Seasoned Vegan, New York City

• Meek’s Vegan Pizza, Houston

• Supreme Oasis Bakery and Deli, Philadelphia

• Plant Power Café & Juice Bar, Chattanooga, Tenn.

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