Vegan Restaurant Giving Furloughed Workers Food During Federal Shutdown

A restaurant in Los Angeles is giving free vegan food to government workers affected by the federal shutdown, VegNews reports.

Sage Plant Based Bistro is offering a free vegan appetizer or meal costing under $16 to furloughed workers at all three of its Southern California locations. All they have to do is show a government ID card. More than 800,000 workers have been affected by the government shutdown, leaving many unable to pay for food or housing.

Vegan restaurants and organizations across the country are trying to help those workers who are financially unstable while not receiving paychecks. Vegetarian fast-food chain Amy’s Drive Thru is offering free burgers—with vegan options available—and discounted meals. Portland, Oregon, nonprofit Northwest Veg is organizing a vegan meal delivery for air traffic controllers and TSA workers at Portland International Airport.

During the longest federal shutdown in U.S. history, it’s heartening to see vegan restaurants and organizations helping workers in need.

Many vegan restaurants donate proceeds to help people and animals. For instance, DunWell Doughnuts in New York City donates some of its profits to Mercy For Animals. The company has also donated doughnuts to Chilis on Wheels, which gives out free vegan food to homeless New Yorkers.


Little Pine, a SoCal restaurant owned by Moby, gives all its proceeds to animal rights organizations and offers a 25 percent discount to employees of animal rights organizations every Tuesday.


P.S. Kitchen, owned by acclaimed chef Gavi DeRossi, donates all its proceeds to charities providing education and healthcare to women in underserved communities; fighting to end sex trafficking; and providing jobs, meals, and shelter in New York City.

The world will become a kinder place when we expand our circle of compassion to include both human and nonhuman animals. In fact, the animal rights movement is undeniably linked to other social justice movements, like workers’ rights, immigrants’ rights, environmental justice, feminism, and racial equality.

To see other veg activists fighting for social justice issues, click here.

To learn how veganism protects farmed animals, safeguards the planet, helps poor rural communities, and opposes an industry that routinely abuses workers, many of whom are undocumented immigrants denied basic labor rights, click here.