Enewsletter

The most important human endeavor is the striving for morality in our actions. Our inner balance, and even our very existence depends on it. Only morality in our actions can give beauty and dignity to our lives.
-Albert Einstein

Notes from Vegan Outreach

Just Imagine -- 500,000+ and Counting

Activists in the Adopt a College program have now handed booklets to over half a million interested students! Over 45,000 have already been distributed in just the first few weeks of the winter/spring term. Thanks so much to the many hard-working volunteers, and all the generous donors who have enabled us to print and ship all these booklets.

At right, a student at UNC Charlotte reads Even If You Like Meat; photo by Jon Camp.

Jon Camp's Second Week in the South

Heading south from the Triangle Region of North Carolina, the second week of my southern leafleting tour was without a doubt, one of the most effective weeks of outreach in which I've ever taken part. With the help of extremely dedicated volunteers -- including Eric Griffith and Wendy Moore, both who took off days of work to help out -- a total of 7,212 booklets were handed out at UNC Charlotte (pictured), GA Tech, GA State, UGA, and Clemson. At every school we leafleted, it was obvious that the booklets had made a definite impact on the students -- it was common to see many of them walking around with their eyes glued to a booklet they had received hours before. Just one example: at the University of Georgia, a young woman came up to tell me that she has been vegetarian since receiving an Even If You Like Meat on campus months earlier.

Next week, I will be leafleting UT San Antonio, UT in Austin, Texas State, Texas A&M, and the University of Houston. If you would like to leaflet with me, or would like for me to give a talk to your local group, please email jon (at) veganoutreach.org. Thanks!

Please – Plan Ahead

Every year, we get calls and e-mails the day before Meatout and Earth Day from people who need booklets the next day. Please visit our catalog and order what you need today -- thanks!

Question of the Week

Does being a vegetarian really save animals?

Products of the Week

Matt R. passes along: "Made from those who bring you Veggie Booty - Tings - vegan crunchy 'cheese' doodles taste just like the real thing! Also - Westsoy's Soy Shakes are amazing! Put it in a blender with some Soy Delicious' Chunky Mint Madness, and you're in for a real thick treat. Best thing ever on my tastebuds."

Send your nominees for Product of the Week to product (at) veganoutreach.org; previous products can be found here.

Notes from Our Members

At McMaster University in Hamilton, ON, Wendy, Mike and I handed out 800 EI in 2 hrs! The reception was great and we had some really good conversations and met a lot of vegans and vegetarians. This all ended when we were kicked out by the "peace police." However, we only had 20 booklets left and we managed to hand them out as we left the premises. On the way home, we were passed by a transport truck full of pigs. They looked just like my "pet" pig named Willa. We realized how important today was, and we look forward to our next stop.
-M, 1/31/06

I've read through [Jack Norris'] "Staying Healthy on a Plant-Based Diet," and I am impressed with how thorough your research is, along with how useful and unbiased it is. I've read through many articles, looked through many books, and have heard a lot of talks, but I haven't come across anything as resourceful and honest. You base your research of factual things, and none of your information seems to be slanted.
     I also enjoyed reading your opinion, as well as Matt Ball's, on what 'veganism' means. I think that you are both taking the right approach, and I am pleased to hear what both of you think about the issue of "personal purity" vs. actually trying to reduce the suffering of others. I think that sheds a better light on the situation, rather than going by points based on self-purity. Both of your ideas touch on the true meaning of what I believe veganism is all about.
-JV, 1/27/06

I'm planning to run in an ultra-marathon (50 miles) in Spring or Fall '07...The ultra-marathon will be run to raise money for Vegan Outreach. A colleague at the Youngstown State University radio station ran an ultra-marathon to raise money for the radio station. He raised over $20,000! I'm going to follow his program for raising money, and see if I can at least raise $1,000. I couldn't think of any other cause, or any other organization, more worthy than Vegan Outreach!
-Dan Kuzma, 1/26/06

If any of you have the opportunity to go leafleting with Jon Camp when he comes through your area, I highly recommend the experience. It is inspiring and motivating to be around someone who works so hard for animals every day. I had many great interactions; here are just a few from our last day, at Clemson:
     One guy I leafleted accepted a booklet, and then 15 seconds later returned and said "I have to give this back to you," in a disapproving tone. But fifteen minutes later, he came back and said he'd changed his mind, and requested a booklet.
     I gave a booklet to a girl who returned about a half hour later. I noticed her hovering 20 or so feet away while I was leafleting passersby. When there was a lull, she told me that one of her friends has been thinking a lot about farmed animals and veg eating, so I sent along an EI and GCFE for her.
      As I was preparing to leave, a guy came out of a nearby building and tracked me down. He said he'd seen other people reading the booklet and could he please get one. Which reminds me of a girl at Georgia State who came along and said she was wondering where everybody was getting those booklets, asked for an EI saying "I need one of those!'
-Eric Griffith (at right), 2/5/06

Correction: Last week, we mistakenly titled as "Humane Certified" the link to the "Animal Care Certified" scam. "Certified Humane" is a different program. To learn what is and isn't allowed under Certified Humane, you can register here and see the relevant documents.

Vegan Outreach is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to reducing the suffering of farmed animals by promoting informed, ethical eating. All donations are tax-deductible. Vegan Outreach POB 30865, Tucson, AZ 85751-0865