Enewsletter

Notes from Vegan Outreach

Thank You and Good Luck, Nikki!

Nikki Benoit, Vegan Outreach’s Southern California Outreach Coordinator since spring of 2010 (and a longtime leafleter before that), is moving on. We are all terribly sad to see her go.

Nikki has consistently brought home the goods with her leafleting numbers. In her first semester, she reached more than 50,000 people with a Vegan Outreach booklet, and never again did she reach fewer than 60,000. Most semesters, Nikki got a booklet into the hands of over 80,000 individuals!

She has now handed a VO booklet to more than 500,000 people!

But Nikki’s own numbers don’t begin to tell the story of the impact she’s had – she’s gotten so many other people involved due to her utterly contagious enthusiasm. Hardly a day went by when Nikki didn’t return from the field thrilled with the results, noting, “The world is changing before our eyes!” She coined terms such as “Weapons of mass compassionation” and “Onward and plantward!” Her last official report left us with “We went crazeballs!”

We know that wherever Nikki goes and whatever she does, she will rock it, and leave the place – and the world as a whole – much better than when she came.

Nikki, you are the awesome sauce! You have warmed our hearts and you will be sorely missed!

—Jack (with Jon, Anne, and Matt)

From “Your Daily Dose of Vegan Outreach!” & Jack Norris RD Blogs

• Matt Ball: A Personal Note Regarding Choices and Suffering
  Excerpt: That is why it is absolutely and utterly urgent the rest of us focus our choices – our limited time and resources – on reducing suffering as much as possible.
• Jack Norris RD: New Studies on Calcium and Vitamin D
  Excerpt from one: My two biggest concerns about vegan nutrition are vitamin B12 and calcium.
• Our Hen House: From Panicked to Empowered: Adventures in Leafleting
  Excerpt: Liz decided that in order to hold herself accountable and finally become what she’s always dreamed of – a leafleting machine – she’d document her journey from slacktivist to activist. In this article, she explains how she got over her fear of flyering.
• Jon Camp: Honesty and Trust
  Excerpt: But I think that when we just speak honestly, more people will hear us out. We’ve got a compelling enough case that we don’t need to exaggerate the truth.

Chain of the Week

Anne: “We have seen the future, thanks to Nikki! She took us to Veggie Grill last November, and as this Marketplace report shows, they’ll take over the world!”

Please submit your nominees for product of the week via this page; previous entries here.

Notes from Nikki

At Cal State Long Beach, I reached 900 people in my first hour, on my way to reaching 2,000. Amazeballs crazeballs Monday. Down to my last stack, I began packing up to leaflet on my way back to my car. Awl’a sudden a young lady comes up behind me asking, “Can I have one of those?” Yes…the booklets often leaflet themselves.
     Reached 1,832 at Long Beach City College with two on-the-spot helpers. Natasha was the 15th person to get a booklet. She asked for extras to help hand out; I also gave her my contact info so she can join the fun going forward. The 100th booklet went to Britain who also came running back to help out.
     Tons of receptive peeps at Fullerton College [one at right]. Coby [Pellatiro, below, left] and Maritza [Galvan, below, right] helped for an hour, and we reached over 1,400 students. At one point, a pod of eager veggies formed at my crosswalk, all excited to meet other like-hearteds at their school. They were blocking foot traffic and surely getting people’s attention talking excitedly about veg eating, all the great foods and restaurants out there, and the pack of lies most people are fed. Good things coming soon with these animal lovers!

     Santa Monica College takes the record for highest number of turn-backs ever (when people turn around after denying a booklet, saying, “Wait…what’s that for?” then they hear it’s about animals and take one). Bumped into Yacob [left], a young man who got a booklet last semester and stopped to chat about it. He’s been veg ever since! Two months going strong! Then met Joyce [Wong, right], a longtime humanitarian. Wanting to up her animal game, she was stoked to play hookie from work and help out for an hour (shhhh don’t tell anyone). After she finished leafleting, she took more to hand out on her own time.
     Trying to leaflet the Forward on Climate rally was frustrating at first. Then I glanced over at a row of adults sitting along the wall, looking at me curiously. I handed them all booklets, which they EAGERLY ACCEPTED THANK YOU. They dove right in, reading their hearts out [below]. After that, my mood improved dramatically. Had some good conversations with some conscious folks by the end of the rally. Always. Worth. It. Bam.

     I scored an awesome sauce prof connection at Saddleback College last semester, and the presentation with his class went over really well so he had me back again. I showed Farm to Fridge and left more time for Q&A. The students were very grateful. All but six students wanted a startup Guide WOOT.
     Having Kim [Dreher, left] and her amazing energy at Glendale Community College definitely helped. Lotsa readers and lots of new vegans! Make sure to keep wondering what you’ll do when there are no fires to put out. Cuz humanity’s headed that way!
     Seamless day at Riverside City College. Lost count of how many people stopped to discuss beginning-veg steps; they were all Guided until I ran out! Then, early on at Moreno Valley College, met Brenda [below, left], who – thanks to compassionate arsenal – is gently pushed into the awesomeness that is veg living.

     Was great to have Todd [Lee, right] with me for my last, record day – three colleges and a high school! Todd’s first full day leafleting with me and we went crazeballs in the Inland Empire! Folks in these parts are always receptive, love animals, and MANY are already veg!
     It’s been an AMAZING adventure leafleting full-time through southern California (almost THREE YEARS!) – there are no words for how absolutely perfect it’s been. I’m sure I’ll be leafleting as a volunteer here and there until all the cages are empty, so it’s not “goodbye,” more like, “I’ll see ya later!”
     HUGE thanks to all of you who have made this type of outreach possible. Knowing you’re all out there, bringing smiles, compassion, and information to the masses has inspired me beyond my wildest hopes.
     With deep gratitude to my Vegan Outreach family, and all you amazing supporters,
Onward!
—Nikki Benoit

	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 fully tax-deductible. Vegan Outreach POB 30865, Tucson, AZ 85751-0865