Eating Vegan Baked Goods for Haiti

Within 24 hours of the earthquake in Haiti, I had a knee-jerk reaction and made a donation to the American Red Cross. Shortly afterward, I learned of American Jewish World Service's disaster relief efforts and figured that my next donation would probably go to them. There are many groups doing great work in Haiti, and when it comes to giving tzedakah, there is no wrong answer here. Still, there's a way to help Haitian earthquake victims by doing what I excel at: eating vegan baked goods!

Vegan cooking icon Isa Chandra Moskowitz has spearheaded efforts to organize vegan bake sales to benefit Haiti in more than two dozen cities across North America. She has noted on her blog that bake sales sometimes take months to put together, but these were organized in a matter of weeks (or less). "We may not have George Clooney (hey, George! Go vegan!) but we do have chutzpah," she wrote last week.

Moskowitz, co-author of Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World and Vegan Cookies Invade Your Cookie Jar, is "something of a superstar in the subculture of folks who abstain from all animal products," as The Jewish Week put it. When she talks, people listen (or eat, or bake, or do whatever it is they are called on to do). After talking to some of the volunteers at yesterday's bake sale at Moo Shoes in New York City, though, it was clear that these events were anything but a solo effort.

The bake sales have already raised more than $25,000 for the American Red Cross, Doctors Without Borders, and Mercy Corps. Vegan bake sales for Haiti will take place this Saturday in New Orleans, Louisiana; Falls Church, Virginia; and Little Rock, Arkansas.

I can't think of a more delicious way to help the victims of tragedy in Haiti.

Photos from New York City bake sale at Moo Shoes (January 31)