November news from the sanctuary

Dear Friends of the Animals,
Thanksgiving is a time of gathering and gratitude. We want to thank YOU for all your support and wish you a Happy Thanksgiving. We are so grateful for all you continue to do for the 120+ residents that call River's Wish home.

In this issue, we've included some great information about our Holiday Catalog, and Megan Jonas shares some wonderful vegan Thanksgiving options, including links to recipes. You'll also find info about our Monthly Sponsor program as well.

We hope you'll find time to connect with what's important to you over this coming weekend. We will be sure to give Violet and Blossom, our turkeys, some extra-special love. 

Kit & Pete Jagoda
Co-Founders
River's Wish Animal Sanctuary

---

River's Wish Holiday Catalog Open Now!
Our first ever online Holiday Catalog is now open and you can shop until you drop, share the gift of animal sponsorships for the holidays, pick up a hoodie, and more. We even have some once-in-a-lifetime in-person experiences available. Just think about sharing pizza with pigs or tea with Tucker! 

Click the image below to start shopping now!

---

Thinking Vegan? How to Create a Delicious Thanksgiving Meal
If you’ve ever spent time with Violet and Blossom, the resident turkeys at River’s Wish, you know that turkeys are smart, opinionated, sensitive beings – ones that adore being shown human affection. They are empathetic creatures as well. When Dwin the senior pig was grieving her companion pig earlier this year in the barn, Blossom and Violet stayed close by her side to comfort her. 

It pains us greatly that these magnificent birds are treated with callous disregard in the American food system. According to the Food Empowerment Project, 270 million turkeys are killed every year in the United States – 46 million for Thanksgiving alone. Bred to grow so fast and large that many birds’ bodies give out on them, these turkeys live in crowded factory farms and are slaughtered at just 4-6 months old. There’s nothing to be thankful for about that. 
​
This year, why not consider ditching the turkey from your Thanksgiving table? Better yet, go all plant-based. Cooking a vegan Thanksgiving meal is not as difficult as it might sound, and more families are becoming open to this option every year.

Consider these simple swaps
Here are some simple swaps for a compassionate (and delicious) Thanksgiving dinner:

The main event: You have many options for a satisfying centerpiece, from store-bought vegan roasts that will offer that familiar texture and flavor to homemade loaves that celebrate grains and vegetables.

Popular and widely available roasts in stores include the Holiday Roast or Stuffed Turk’y from Gardein, Field Roast’s Celebration Roast, Trader Joe’s Breaded Turkey-Less Stuffed Roast with Gravy, No Evil Foods’ The Pardon, and last but not least, the classic Tofurky Roast. 

If you want to try cooking something homemade and different, fun options include chickpea cutlets, stuffed squash, and lentil and nut loaves like these ones from Minimalist Baker and Oh She Glows.

Mashed potatoes and gravy: Vegan butter is all you need to make mashed potatoes cruelty-free, and vegetable broth is the key to a vegan gravy. 

Sides: Thankfully, many traditional Thanksgiving sides are already veggie-centric! Think about roasted root vegetables, cranberries, green bean casserole, and sweet potato casserole. Fruits and veggies are already the featured ingredient. With a few substitutions, it’s easy to make satisfying vegan side dishes. 

Use vegetable broth and nondairy milk to create a creamy green bean casserole, and nondairy milk and vegan butter to create a sweet potato casserole. I appreciate that vegans can still enjoy marshmallows on their sweet potato casserole, thanks to brands like Dandies and Trader Joe’s that offer vegan marshmallows.

Desserts: Classic Thanksgiving desserts require varying levels of creativity to “veganize.” Some pies, like this apple pie and this chocolate pecan pie, just require swapping milk or butter with nondairy versions. Pumpkin pie recipes, however, are all over the board on how to achieve a custard-like texture. I love this cashew-based recipe from The Gentle Chef. This pumpkin cheesecake made with cashews, banana and tofu is a delectable option as well! Whatever you choose, make sure to whip up some coconut whipped cream or buy plant-based whipped topping. 

Make it simple and order out!
Are you thinking this all sounds amazing, but you don’t have time to make it all? If you have the means and would like to make planning your holiday meal a little simpler, I suggest supporting a local vegan business for part of your meal. While it might be a little too late for Thanksgiving, if you are thinking of planning ahead for Christmas or other winter celebrations, and you’re in the Spokane area, Boots Bakery offers an all-vegan to-go menu and typically takes preorders for delicious pies, a holiday loaf and and array of sides. Allie’s Vegan Pizzeria & Cafe usually offers preorders for mouth-watering holiday cashew cheeses, made in house, and other amazing menu items. Check them out in advance of the next holiday, just around the corner.

---

We're looking for monthly sponsors!
 
Starting at just $5 per month, recurring sponsorships are a great way to give
As you know, each year we look to build our monthly sponsors with a end of the year campaign. Last year, we achieved our goal of doubling our dollar amount, and we're going to try again. We currently have 55 monthly sponsors giving a total of $1,760 per month. These funds are critical as they help us plan and schedule care for our more than 120 residents, as well as make improvements to our facilities. 

We can't emphasize enough how much every dollar counts here, and it could not be easier to sign up. This year our goal is to hit $4,000 per month in ongoing support by 12/31/21. Whether you want to share $5 per month with us or $500 per month, it all makes a huge difference. Just consider this:

• At just $5 a month, or $60 a year, you're funding a farrier visit for one of our equines or several bags of feed for our turkeys and chickens. $25 a month or $300 a year buys a ton of hay, or can cover the cost of farrier services for three of our pigs. 
• It costs more than $28,000 per year just to care for our 11 special needs equines. 
• Monthly feed for pigs, chickens, turkey, ducks, goats, and sheep can exceed $2,500.
• If 360 people donated just $5 per month, or 180 donated just $10 per month, we would hit our goal! Who do you know? Help us recruit monthly sponsors by sharing with your friends. Sponsorships also make GREAT holiday gifts!

What's more, there are three easy ways to donate:

1. Sign up online. It's quick and easy to choose your amount and you can cancel on your own at anytime. Click here to sign up now. (Just click the "Make this a monthly donation" box).
2. Sign up through your bank or credit union. Most financial institutions make it easy to send an ongoing monthly check. Just visit your bank in person or online. Checks can be sent to River's Wish Animal Sanctuary, PO Box 18371, Spokane, WA 99228.
3. Through the mail. If you like to write and mail checks the good old fashioned way, we're here for you. We can even send you email reminders if you'd like.

Recognition (and prizes!) for your support
As a way to say thank you, every current and new monthly sponsor will receive an 8 x 10 Monthly Sponsor "Blitzen & Friends" poster. This is a copy of original work done by River's Wish co-founder Kit Jagoda, and features many of the lovely residents at the sanctuary.

Additionally, at the end of our campaign, we'll be drawing two lucky winners (one existing, one new) for their choice of a River's Wish Hoodie or Vintage Baseball Tee.