PlantPure Communities (PPC)'s mission is to empower individuals to build healthy, kind, sustainable communities by sharing the health and environmental benefits of plant-based nutrition.
"A cornerstone of the Pod Network is inclusiveness. People from all walks of life and at different stages in their wellness or plant-based journey have an open invitation to become a participant in the Pod Network at any time. To date, there are close to 500 groups across the globe with tens of thousands of people involved in the Pod Network. Participation is free, and offers support and networking opportunities to everyone interested in learning, incorporating, advocating and practicing a whole food, plant-based lifestyle." - Nelson Campbell
We estimate a Pod Leader needs to commit an average of 5 hours per month to plan, promote and host their Pod events. We recommend Pods meet at least once a month but feel free to meet more regularly if time, energy and interest allow! Time is spent promoting events via social media etc. as the aim is to create a really vibrant diverse Pod that is active in its community and inviting to all. How much time you commit to growing, cooking, and sharing incredible food is entirely up to you!
When starting a Pod (group), Pod leaders ought to become familiar with the nutrition science supporting plant-based diets. We ask that you review and adhere to PPC’s Culinary Philosophy when conducting Pod activities and providing information to Pod members. PPC provides a Pod leader support handbook as a guide.
If you are new to plant-based eating, we encourage you to find and join a local Pod to learn more! Please visit:
https://plantpurecommunities.org/find-a-pod/
The process for starting a Pod typically entails having a conversation (“interview”) with the Pod Operations Manager. This gives you the opportunity to get more familiar with PPC and our team, and also a space for you to ask any questions you may have. This conversation will help you take the next steps to get your Pod going.
Please fill out the Pod leader application before your interview with PPC to better understand the responsibilities of a Pod leader.
It is not a requirement to have a co-leader, but it is much easier to have a team of leaders contributing to Pod efforts, activities, and growth. Do you have a friend or family member who is also passionate about plant-based diets? They would be perfect! Otherwise, you can start a Pod, and as members join your group, you can identify a co-leader to help you with the Pod. Brainstorm a kick-off event or meeting.
Once you have your Pod set up with PPC, you can begin planning your first event or meeting! We recommend organizing a public documentary screening, hosting a potluck, inviting a plant-based speaker to present, or hosting a virtual meeting online for people in your community.
Now it is time to host your meeting; advertise your Pod in local media, restaurants, or health food stores; and recruit members to join you. We recommend hosting meetings monthly, if possible, but some Pods choose to meet less frequently. You're welcome to share out intro video with everyone before they attend and we will have more resources available over the coming months including our newsletter which will have some interesting feature for you to consider! https://youtu.be/7td6zT9a7g8
