VINE Sanctuary

VINE Sanctuary is an LGBTQ-led farmed animal refuge working for social and environmental justice as well as animal well-being. More than 500 animals live at our sanctuary, including chickens, cows, ducks, goats, geese, sheep, alpacas, turkeys, emus, and pigeons. VINE projects include a virtual humane education program teaching hundreds of elementary school children values such as respect for differences along with compassion for animals. 

Nationally, our annual Pride Month Vegan Challenge introduces LGBTQIA+ people and our allies to the many joys of "eating the rainbow" every June. Locally, our annual Rainbow-Palooza festival is the only Pride Month event in our town.

Founded in 2000 as the Eastern Shore Chicken Sanctuary, VINE is now one of the oldest and largest farmed animal sanctuaries in the USA. Along the way, we've faced many challenges as the first explicitly LGBTQ-led sanctuary. Give OUT Day is a chance for our straight allies to help make up for those impediments and for our LGBTQIA++ friends to support our efforts to make our communities safer and healthier.

VINE was founded by LGBTQ+ people with disabilities, and a majority of our staff are LGBTQ+ and/or people with disabilities. We recently received a "Spirit of the ADA" award from the Governor's Committee on the Employment of People with Disabilities.

A long-time friend of the sanctuary will be matching all donations made on Give OUT Day, up to a total of $5,000!