Thanks to you, 2025 was a year of meaningful wins for animals and thoughtful stewardship through change. From Hennepin County’s new default-veg policy to proactive budgeting and staff transitions, we’re closing in on our 2023–2026 strategic plan goals — and setting the stage for an even more impactful next chapter.
Our donors, volunteers and staff delivered wins that matter for animals. We’re especially proud of a systems-level milestone achieved by our Wholesome Minnesota program in partnership with Civic Plate, a program of Mercy for Animals: Hennepin County adopted a default-veg policy for county events. By making plant-based meals the standard — and offering meat and dairy on request — we’re supporting an evidence-based way to increase plant-based eating and normalizing compassionate, climate-smart choices across Minnesota’s largest county.
Why Hennepin County’s Default-Veg Policy Matters
- It’s a model of reducing emissions and animal suffering at scale by shifting institutional norms.
- It meets people where they are: default-veg gently nudges behavior without taking options away.
- It’s replicable across cities, counties, schools, and workplaces — momentum we’re excited to build.
Navigating a Funding Shift With Care — and Speed
2025 also brought a challenge: a key foundation that previously provided funding exited animal advocacy. Together, we moved quickly to right-size our budget, protect core programs, and diversify revenue. That meant:
- Prioritizing high-impact campaigns and policy work
- Maintaining essential community programs
- Broadening our funding base to increase long-term resilience
Because you showed up, we stayed focused on outcomes — not obstacles.
Honoring Tamuno Imbu and Theresa Zingery
As we look ahead to the new year, we’re also saying heartfelt goodbyes to two teammates who’ve shaped this work with care and courage.
Tamuno Imbu: A Steady Force for Inclusion
Tamuno helped us connect CAA’s policy progress to on-the-ground impact — bringing clarity, empathy, and a deeply collaborative spirit to everything we do. We’re grateful for the foundation of community engagement he helped build and the relationships he strengthened.
Theresa Zingery: A Communications Champion
Theresa’s communications expertise elevated our programs and helped expand our impact statewide. Her knack for writing clear, compelling stories — while supporting teammates — strengthened CAA’s voice and leaves a lasting legacy across Minnesota.
Read Theresa’s farewell post →
Please join us in wishing Tamuno and Theresa all the best in their next chapters.
Finishing Strong — and Aiming Higher
With your support, we’re on track to successfully complete our 2023–2026 strategic plan this year. That includes sustaining core programs, deepening our policy focus, and setting bolder goals to benefit animals and Minnesotans in the years ahead. The default-veg win shows what’s possible when we pair evidence-based solutions with community power. Let’s keep building plant-based actions that benefit animals — county by county, table by table.
How you can help right now:
- Share the default-veg story with your networks
- Invite a decision maker to learn how default-veg can work in their institution
- Make a gift to fuel our next wave of policy and program wins
Thank you for being in this with us. Your partnership turns vision into lasting change.
