VegLife Des Moines, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, was formed in 2017 by a group of local vegans to help the veg community thrive and make it easier for more people to be vegan here.
Our website has a comprehensive restaurant guide, a community events calendar, and resources (such as recipes, films, books, blogs, podcasts, and more). We want to be a resource for those who are veg-curious all the way to seasoned vegans. This is also a great resource to point your family, friends, and colleagues to so they may better support you.
You can also follow us on Facebook and Instagram @VegLifeDesMoines. We share photos, recipes, events, and information to keep you up to date on veg living in Des Moines.
We host events such as picnics, Vegan Summer Market, speed dating, and Trunk or Treat. If you have an idea for an event, please share it with us!
Board of Directors
So who’s behind VegLife Des Moines? Vegans of course! Check out our bios below.
We are always interested in hearing from people that would like to join our board. We hope to build a broader coalition of support and look forward to working with new board members. If you are interested, please contact us at info@veglifedesmoines.org.
Amy Luebbert, President
Amy (she/her/hers) is a founding member of VegLife Des Moines and became a vegan in 2001 after learning how cows and chickens are treated in the dairy and egg industry. She holds deep anti-oppression beliefs for all species. Amy worked as the Executive Assistant at Encompass, (until its dissolution in April 2022) an international organization with the mission to increase effectiveness in the animal protection movement by cultivating racial representation, equity, and interdependence while empowering advocates of the global majority. Since April she’s been having fun working on the Veggie Thumper bus and on occasion slinging cinnamon rolls at Cinnaholic.
Amy has lived in Des Moines for almost 15 years, enjoys dancing, spending time with her cats, and eating all of the delicious vegan food Des Moines has to offer. Amy looks forward to creating a just and equitable Des Moines with you and always welcomes the opportunity to be in conversation.
Carissa Fields
Carissa (she/her/hers) has lived in Iowa all her life, except for the four years she spent in Denver, CO for graduate school. She lives in Des Moines with her family: Jared (husband), Phoebe, Piper, Paige, Leo, and Coop (cats), and Sammy (dog). She became vegan in 2018 and was pushed in large part by her animals who helped her realize that cows, pigs, chickens, etc., deserved the same life free of suffering that her animals get to experience.
Carissa spends her down time creating in the winter and every moment outdoors in the summer. She enjoys learning, but never mastering all types of skills: sewing, crocheting, baking, cooking, and bread-making to name a few. She believes that play and creativity can create connections that lead to change. In February 2023, she used her sewing skills to make dog bandanas to raise funs for a local dog rescue and she looks forward to using play and the creative arts in her work with VegLife Des Moines.
Morgan Pearson
Morgan (she/her/hers) went vegetarian in 2019 before transitioning to veganism in November of 2019. Though she initially went vegan to improve her health, her reasons for living a vegan lifestyle expanded after reading, watching documentaries, and attending events. Her belief is that advocacy can be gentle and that any efforts towards veganism and sustainability should be celebrated. This led to her opening her home-based bakery, Vegan in Valley Junction. She enjoys celebrating others through vegan food and building community through the VegLife Des Moines Vegan Summer Market and other events.
Morgan is currently attending graduate school for health psychology where she studies the effects of stress and trauma on the body. Her coursework has helped to lay a foundational understanding of how systemic oppression impacts individuals and communities and she looks forward to further growing in this area.
In her downtime, Morgan loves supporting local businesses and veganizing old recipes. She enjoys spending time with her partner, Nick, and their rescue pitbull, Doug. She has an affinity for plants, helping others, and napping.