Enewsletter

Enewsletter • July 23, 2008

Notes from Vegan Outreach

Last 8 Days to Double Donation

UPDATE: The goal has been reached -- thanks!!

July's matching donation challenge is nearing its end, with $23,287 raised so far. We only need $6,713 to release the full $30,000 -- you can help put us over the top!

We deeply appreciate everyone who has had their tax-deductible contribution doubled. If you would like more people to learn the animals' plight, please make a secure donation on-line via this page, or send a check or money order to:

Vegan Outreach
P.O. Box 30865
Tucson, AZ 85751-0865

Please indicate that it is for the matching drive. Thanks!

Seven-year-old Spencer Sherman leaflets in St. Petersburg, FL; photo by Nikki Benoit.

Activist Profile: Eileen Botti

As we've done in the past, Vegan Outreach is profiling some of our top leafleters. This week, we feature Eileen Botti. In just one incredible semester of part-time leafleting, Eileen handed out over 29,000 booklets to college and high school students in the New York City area! Here are some excerpts:

What was your most positive leafleting experience and why?
During my first semester with Vegan Outreach, a student approached me with a huge smile on her face and excitedly said, "Hey, I just wanted to tell you that you totally changed my life and I wanted to thank you. I read the booklet you gave me a few months ago when you were here and haven't eaten any meat since then." I recognized her and remembered answering some lengthy questions about veganism the last time I was at this school. While I knew that leafleting was effective, this was the first time that I saw the direct impact of a leaflet I handed out, and it was very empowering.

What would you say to individuals hesitant about leafleting?
It can be intimidating to show up to a college all by yourself with a box of leaflets. I still get nervous sometimes when I show up to a big school, but once I get started, the nerves go away and I have fun with it! Just be yourself -- I find I have a lot more fun when I'm smiling and being friendly, and that more people take leaflet, too.

Also, don't worry about being an encyclopedia of animal rights information or having a prepared response for every question someone might ask. I still get questions sometimes that I do not know the answer to -- in that case, I am honest and just refer them to a GCFE, or suggest a website for them to check out.

Remember that college students are used to having things handed out to them, and pretty much anyone can fit in at a college -- young or old. If it's your first time, maybe try it out for just a short time during lunch hour with a small number of leaflets. It's a great way to get involved, and I think you'll really enjoy it!

Read the entire profile here!

Conference of the Week

Thanks so much to everyone who came by the Vegan Outreach table at Taking Action for Animals.

Next month, Animal Rights 2008 will be in Arlington. Vegan Outreach Co-founder Matt Ball and Outreach Director Jon Camp will both be speaking; other VOers will be there as well. Please come to our talks and stop by the table!

Links of the Week

Updated On-line Guide
Interview with Jack Norris

Product of the Week

Eileen: "Raw Revolution food bars just came out with 2 new delicious flavors -- Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough and Tropical Mango! Made with raw, whole, natural ingredients, no refined sweeteners, and very tasty! Some of my other favorite flavors include Chocolate & Cashew and Coconut & Agave Nectar."

See previous entries here.

Notes from All Over

Lightning Round

Notes from Our Members

Nicole Matthews from PETA recently stayed at my house (traveling throughout Ontario promoting KFC's vegan sandwich). She stressed the importance of activists "being joy." Today at the Warped Tour, I made sure that my smile, body language, and voice radiated the joy that only a compassionate lifestyle can bring. Dan [Wilson], David [Evans], and I reached over 1,500 new people with the message of compassion.
-John Sakars, 7/20/08

Booklet reading at the Warped stop in Charlotte; photo by Eleni Vlachos.

What an awesome day this was! After leafleting the farmers' market in Beaverton, OR, I hit a festival in downtown Portland. I had a steady stream of foot traffic all afternoon -- it was a dream come true!
I also met 6 lapsed vegans in their late forties and early fifties, all of whom admitted that they had long ago written off their vegan diet as a failed experiment from their early adulthood (back when there weren't many pre-packaged vegan foods, vegan restaurants, or vegan cookbooks to make things easier). All six people brightened when I said that times have changed. I rattled off lots of cookbook titles, websites, and supermarket products. Some of them took notes, which is always an encouraging sign that they are sincerely interested.
Only two brochures were dropped on the ground all day! A teenage girl picked up one and immediately began reading it, fascinated by the subject matter.
-Emily Pepe, 7/20/08

I can't say enough good things about Vegan Outreach. When I'm spending my finite volunteer time -- and the money of a generous donor -- I want to spend it effectively. Not only is this literature super-effective, but the strategy of targeting the campus/young adult populations makes sense. Adopt a College really works. The regular practice of posting about one's leafleting episodes, and the positive feedback received from the other activists, makes it evident that I'm not alone in the work -- I'm very much part of a larger effort.
-Jennifer Greene

At the Soundtrack of Your Summer Tour, I unknowingly leafleted the venue's chef. He said that most of the members of the band playing tomorrow night (Jimmy Eats World) are vegan. "You'd be surprised at how many bands are vegan." He was trying to figure out what to make for them. I gave him a GCFE and said it contained recipes. This made him happy. Also:
-A girl asked if she could hand out some literature, too. I gave her a stack.
-A woman stopped and said, "Thank you. I like this brochure." She asked if I could restock her coffee house with them.
-I offered a girl a Why Vegan and she said, "I don't need one. I'm vegetarian and I'm going to be going vegan really soon."
-Jessica Dadds, 7/17/08

Nick Cooney leaflets Warped Tour; photo by Jon Camp.

The Warped stop in Columbia, MD was expected to draw 11,000; the Humane League of Philadelphia, Ramona, and I handed out 8,650 Even If You Like Meat booklets. Ramona estimates that six concertgoers told her that they are now vegetarian as a result of receiving a VO booklet at last year's Warped Tour. Additionally, one guy mentioned that he has been vegan since receiving a booklet at the University of Maryland.
-Jon Camp, 7/16/08

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