Enewsletter

Notes from Vegan Outreach

The Write Cause and Team Vegan

The Write Cause (www.thewritecauseforanimals.org) is a membership-based newsletter and letter writing service founded in 1989 by Carol R. S. Treacy. In January of 2002, Darris Bertini purchased The Write Cause (TWC) in order to expand her life-long crusade for animal rights and environmental concerns that relate to animal welfare. For 19 years, The Write Cause has written well-researched, respectful letters for its members to send to key decision makers.
      Joanna in North Carolina has been a supportive member of The Write Cause for the past decade. Joanna wants to see slaughterhouses disappear, and in addition to her letter writing campaigns with The Write Cause, she believes that Vegan Outreach leafleting will bring this about. To make this vision happen sooner, she decided to step into the powerful role of donor.
      Joanna issued a challenge to The Write Cause community: She would match donations made to Team Vegan or individual runners, up to a total of $2,000. Anytime a member of The Write Cause gives, for example, $100 to one of the runners, Joanna will also give $100 to that runner. If a Write Cause member gives $100 to Team Vegan, Joanna will give $100 to Team Vegan.
      From all of us at Vegan Outreach and Team Vegan, thank you, Joanna, Darris, and members of The Write Cause!!

Site, Book, & Reading of the Week

• Ryan: Vega is great!
• Bruce: The Great Escape, a "real page turner" for young adults, by Natalie Haynes.
• Finally, the essay "Activism and Veganism"

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

Notes from All Over

Lightning Round

• Vegan.com relaunch!
• Potlucks Supply Moral Support for Local Vegetarians

Notes from Our Members

We had a great day leafleting the annual Portland Peace Rally. We came across many, many more vegetarians than last year! Indeed, it was a hard crowd to leaflet because so many were vegan! We met a really huge number of young vegans, a bunch of old people who were vegan, and even a couple of 7-9 year old kids who had been veg since birth! One man told me he didn't need to take a Why Vegan. "The last time someone gave me one of those, I went vegan the very next day," he said. Another gentleman related: "My wife and I received a brochure last year. We're not vegan yet, but we've really reduced our meat consumption. The pamphlet raised our awareness of how animals are treated."
-Emily Pepe, Yvonne LeGrice, Ramona, & Jessica Dadds, 3/26/08

Today I was joined by Jampa Williams and her 8-year-old son Noah [at right], who helped me leaflet during a class change. They did a great job despite a strange snow squall happening during that class change. Of course, no one could resist taking a leaflet from a really cool kid, so he gave out a lot! Jampa had some great interactions with students who wanted to go veg, and said she felt the experience was very empowering. She could not believe how receptive college students are.
-Eileen Botti, 3/12/08

The Youngstown State Environmental & Animal Rights Coalition (YSEARC) had a table event today. As the new members told me (I'm the advisor of the group), they would like to do more because they had a warm reception from the student population. One student broke down and cried after watching Meet Your Meat. He took VO pamphlets and told the group that he is a vegetarian from this point on and would like to get involved.
-Dan Kuzma, 3/20/08

Amanda Schemkes leaflets at Portland State U; photo by Miranda Robbins.

At a recent get-together in Kansas, I was talking with one young woman about how for me, veganism is not about being perfect or pure, but about reducing suffering. I mentioned that my driving contributes to global warming, that I'm sure I harm animals in different ways, etc. I stressed that what was most important was just doing our best to minimize the amount of suffering in the world. I get the impression that a great many of today's youth are curious about veganism/animal issues and appreciate having someone who will talk with them about this in a non-judgmental and calm manner. We'll win many more over by admitting that we're not perfect than by going to all lengths to show how much we know and how consistent we are.
-Jon Camp, 3/15/08

Eric Dubinsky at New School University; photo by Eileen Botti.

At Sierra College, Eric and I met many people who told us they supported our cause and that we were doing good work. I watched a man read a booklet for a good while and walked over and asked him what he thought. He told me that most of the information was new to him and that the booklet was "really good." I offered him a GCFE and could tell he was eager to get back to the Even If.
     Last week at CSU Sacramento, I offered a brochure to a guy and he said, "I don't eat meat because of you!" He told me he had gotten one last semester from me and become vegetarian. I offered a brochure to a guy I had an English class with and he said that he hasn't eaten meat since receiving a booklet from me earlier in the semester! Another man approached me and told me how much he appreciated the message of the booklet he received from me and didn't feel pressured to give up all animal products immediately; he felt good that he could reduce animal suffering with every small decision he made and that he was slowly reducing his intake of animal products. A very strong-looking and loud ex-marine stopped to talk to me about how appalled he was with animal cruelty and with people who turn away from it. We talked briefly about various atrocities and he left even more fired up than before. I was definitely glad he was on my side! It was really cool to see change that I've personally helped happen through my activism!
-Brian Grupe, 3/24/08

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