Notes from Vegan
Outreach
Game On for New Semester!
 We
all know that our day-to-day individual
choices have an important impact
in the world. Every day, though,
we can take action to multiply this
impact, by reaching out to more
and more people with the truth of
modern animal agribusiness.
Aashish Bhimani
leaflets at the Van Dorn Metro station;
photo by Jon Camp.
During spring semester
2007, Vegan Outreach activists handed
a total of 343,120 leaflets directly
to students at 458 schools across
the U.S. and abroad. Since August
of 2003, the Vegan Outreach Adopt-a-College
program has enabled leafleters to
visit 810 schools, distributing
1,346,853 leaflets to college students.
Please
join this effort for the upcoming
fall semester, and increase your
impact on the world! Even if you
have just an hour or two, you can
reach hundreds of students who may
not otherwise learn of the horrors
of today's factory farms, or see
a thorough case for choosing compassion.
You can learn more at the Adopt
a College site, and
order booklets via the catalog.
One Million
One week ago, Vegan
Outreach passed the 1,000,000 booklet
mark for 2007 -- well ahead of last
year's pace. Thanks
so much to everyone
who has made this possible with
your hard work and contributions!
Activist Profile: Jodi Chemes
Continuing our series of profiles,
here are some excerpts from the
interview with  Jodi
Chemes:
What made you decide to start
leafleting?
I decided to start leafleting because
I realized I had a responsibility
to spread the word about farm animal
suffering. I knew these animals
could not wait until the rest of
the world stumbled across a video
on the internet like I did....
What would you say to individuals
hesitant about leafleting?
It is hard to put ourselves out
there sometimes because we are afraid
someone will make fun of us or be
rude to us. However, just remember
that this is very rare. I've handed
out thousands of leaflets and 99%
of the time the interactions are
positive. I've learned to brush
off the negative ones and just let
them walk away. Also, just remember
this one phrase that I picked up
from Chicago activist, Omnia Ibrahim:
"That's ok, I just want you
to read this." It pretty much
works with every comment you could
possibly get from people. Also remember
that the animals are counting on
us to speak up for them. The people
we hand leaflets to might otherwise
never have been exposed to this
issue, and might not have changed
their eating habits to help animals
had you not given them a leaflet.
That is powerful!
What was your most positive
leafleting experience this year
and why?
My most positive leafleting experience
was at University of South Florida
in Tampa. A young man came up to
me and said "Hey, I just wanted
you to know that you gave me one
of those last semester and I went
vegetarian. Thank you." I have
positive experiences every time
I leaflet because there are always
people who thank me for being there
or who take an obvious interest
in the material.
Read
the entire profile here!
Product of the Week
Linda: Nutiva Organic Shelled
Hemp Seeds. This product is a perfect
substitute for Parmesan cheese.
Comes in a bright yellow bag and
I've bought them at Vitamin Shoppe
and at Wild Oats.
Send your nominees for Product
of the Week to product
(at) veganoutreach (dot) org;
previous products can be found here.
Feedback from Our
Members
At the Sounds of the
Underground Tour,
I had ~80% acceptance rate, and
about 50 really positive responses,
along with a few negative. I have
truly reached the point that I enjoy
the negative stuff every bit as
much as the positive. For one thing
I find it humorous. But also, I
realize that I am showing something
they clearly recognize as the truth.
They did not want to see it or know
about it and they are angry.
-Stewart Solomon, 8/5/07
When I saw your brochure
at Virgin Fest, I
was shocked to see what these poor
animals go through. Here we are
watching all these horror movies
thinking they are just pretend,
but what the animals in these slaughterhouses
go through is worse than that. I
think that you should keep up going
to events where teenagers will see
your pamphlets and read up on being
vegan. This has changed me and inspired
me to change my lifestyle.
-JB, 8/6/07
While leafleting at
the Glenmont Metro station,
I separately met two former vegetarians
interested in going veg again after
reading the Even If booklet.
I was able to spend some time talking
with them and I gave them both a
GCFE. They each seemed
grateful, and sincerely committed
to changing their diets again.
-Jon Camp, 8/2/07
While leafleting at
the street fair, I gave a girl an
Even If,
and she excitedly
told the guy she was with (as she
was pointing to the VO info on the
back of the pamphlet), "These
are the people who got me to go
vegan!"
-Jessica Dadds, 8/3/07
Leafleting at the Bethesda
Metro station with
Jon and Jenna, we had to raise our
voices to be heard above the musicians
playing. Being more forceful and
focused than normal with my question,
"Booklet to help animals?"
reminded me that we are, literally,
the animals' voice.
-Matt Ball, 7/30/07
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Vegan Outreach
P.O. Box 30865
Tucson, AZ 85751-0865
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