North American Vegetarian Society facts for kids
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| Legal status | 501(c) organization |
|---|---|
| Headquarters | Dolgeville, New York |
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President, Treasurer
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Sharon Graff |
| Website | navs-online.org |
The North American Vegetarian Society (NAVS) is a group that helps people who are vegetarians. They also teach everyone about the good things that come from eating a vegetarian diet. NAVS started in 1974. Their first big job was to help organize a huge meeting called the World Vegetarian Congress in 1975. This meeting was a very important event for vegetarians in the United States.
In 1977, NAVS began an annual celebration called World Vegetarian Day. This special day happens every year on October 1st. It also starts a whole month of learning about vegetarianism, called Vegetarian Awareness Month. This month ends on November 1st with World Vegan Day.
Honoring Vegan Heroes: The Vegan Hall of Fame
NAVS started the Vegetarian Hall of Fame in 1990. It is now called the Vegan Hall of Fame. This special hall honors people who have done amazing things to help the vegetarian and vegan movements. So far, 33 people have been recognized.
| Name | Known for | Year of award |
|---|---|---|
| Freya Dinshah | Helped start the American Vegan Society | 1990 |
| H. Jay Dinshah | Helped start the American Vegan Society | 1990 |
| Helen Nearing | Promoted simple living and vegetarianism | 1991 |
| Scott Nearing | Promoted simple living and vegetarianism | 1991 |
| Michael Klaper | Vegan doctor and author | 1992 |
| Paul Obis | Founder and editor of Vegetarian Times magazine | 1994 |
| Mahatma Gandhi | Leader for Indian independence and a vegetarian | 1995 |
| Alex Hershaft | Co-founder of Farm Animal Rights Movement | 1998 |
| Howard Lyman | Former farmer who became a vegan activist | 2002 |
| Richard H. Schwartz | Professor and president of Jewish Veg | 2005 |
| T. Colin Campbell | Professor who studies plant-based diets | 2006 |
| Brenda Davis | Registered dietitian and author | 2007 |
| Joanne Stepaniak | Author of vegetarian and vegan cookbooks | 2008 |
| Caldwell Esselstyn | Heart doctor, Olympic gold medalist, and vegan | 2010 |
| Neal D. Barnard | Founder of Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine | 2011 |
| Hans Diehl | Doctor and author about plant-based nutrition | 2015 |
| Miyoko Schinner | Founder of vegan cheese company Miyoko's Creamery | 2016 |
| Michael Greger | Doctor and author about plant-based nutrition | 2019 |
| Kim A. Williams Sr., MD | Vegan heart doctor who promotes plant-based eating | 2023 |
Fun and Learning: The NAVS Vegan Summerfest
Since 1974, NAVS has held an annual summer conference. It used to last for about 9 or 10 days. These events often took place at colleges or universities, especially in Pennsylvania.
The name of this summer event changed over time. It was first called the NAVS Vegetarian Summerfest, where all the meals were vegan. In 2019, its name changed again to NAVS Vegan Summerfest.
Now, this event lasts for 5 days. It's a special time when the new person joining the Vegan Hall of Fame is announced and celebrated. The event is often held at the University of Pittsburgh-Johnstown (UPJ) in Johnstown, Pennsylvania. In 1996, a big international vegetarian meeting was held at the same time as the NAVS Summerfest in Johnstown.
See also
- American Vegan Society
- List of vegetarian organizations
