Welcome to the Supporter Spotlight post for April! In these monthly blog posts, we take a moment to shine a spotlight on our members, whose hard work and generosity truly enable the work of Vegan Outreach. This month’s Spotlight is particularly exciting, as we celebrate someone who has been vegan for 25 years! Congratulations to Babs McDonald. Let’s get to know her, shall we?

Tell us about yourself, Babs.

I have been a U.S. Forest Service employee for 23 years. I co-write and co-edit a science education journal called Natural Inquirer, which is free in hard copy and on the Web. (Check it out!) I live in Athens, Georgia on 14 mostly wooded acres with my vegan husband (Ken Cordell) and nine rescued dogs. Ken does a lot of innovative vegetable and wildflower gardening. We work to make our land a refuge for wildlife. I’ve been hyperactive all of my life, so I am an avid exerciser. My two favorite things to do are hiking in Scotland and long distance, open-water swimming (in warmer climates than Scotland!).

Share with us the story of your “vegan journey.”

I had been mostly vegetarian since my second year in college, and became a committed vegetarian after my stepsons left home in the mid-1980s. I was becoming more aware of the broad scope of animal cruelty, primarily through PETA and local activism. I organized a PETA Animal Rights 101 workshop in March 1990. In the weeks previous to the workshop, my forever dog Weber, then 14, declined rapidly.

Everything coalesced on March 17, 1990. Weber passed away early that morning. The workshop that day was tough for me, but being surrounded by 100 like-minded people (and four PETA employees) helped me through. That day, in memory of Weber, I vowed to do as little harm to animals as possible. Going vegan, obviously, was the largest part of that vow.

How has being vegan changed in the last 25 years?

I started a Ph.D. program in Adult Learning in 1994. For my research, I chose to study how people learned to become vegan. Through personal interviews, I learned that many vegans struggled as they chose a vegan lifestyle. I learned about vegans who had their marriages break up, lost jobs, and whose family members became distant or rejected them. In the mid and late-1990s, some people viewed veganism as a cult. At best, some people were suspicious of vegans. I’ve seen a cultural shift in the last 25 years.

Today, vegans may still be left off of dinner invitation lists, but I sense an unspoken respect for vegans, and an acknowledgement of veganism’s health and environmental benefits. For the most part in my experience, however, most people still don’t want to be confronted with the abhorrent cruelty involved in their meat and dairy-based choices. Vegan food options are much better today than 25 years ago.

What advice do you have for people who want to go and stay vegan?

The most challenging question from my perspective is how does one stay vegan? I believe the following self-knowledge helps to make a sustained vegan lifestyle possible, and perhaps even easy:

1. an undeniable recognition that one is complicit in animal cruelty and environmental degradation every time they consume an animal product or by-product,
2. a spiritual understanding that suffering is an unwanted experience of all living beings, and
3. the sense of empowerment that comes with knowing that personal choice is possible and powerful: that one can live well without harming or taking the life of other living beings.

I tell people that being vegan is great for my heart — it gives me great joy. My research taught me that you never know what information people will connect with that will lead them to a vegan decision. Maybe even more important, you never know when that information will become relevant. Some of my vegan participants went vegan five or more years after their initial introduction to institutionalized animal cruelty. Vegan Outreach does a fantastic job of providing information that might lead to a vegan choice.

How did you first get involved with Vegan Outreach?

I learned about Vegan Outreach while doing my dissertation research. Jack Norris was one of my dissertation participants. I’ve always had the deepest respect for Vegan Outreach’s intelligent and successful approach to teaching others about veganism.

You’ve supported VO since 1997! What inspires this?

Vegan Outreach has a well-developed and proven model for success in getting the word out about veganism to people mostly likely to choose a vegan lifestyle. Some of these people may become vegan 1, 5, or 10 years from now based on Vegan Outreach’s efforts today. The most effective way for each individual to reduce animal cruelty, decrease the impact of climate change, improve environmental health, and support his or her own health is to choose a vegan lifestyle. I like putting my support where it will have the greatest impact for animal well-being and for our planet.

Finally, share with us your absolute favorite meal.

Over time, I find myself drawn to less-processed and minimally-cooked foods. My favorite meal at home is tomatoes, cucumbers, and corn on the cob straight from the garden. I can eat corn, cucumbers, and tomatoes all summer without tiring of them. I am interested to learn if other long-term vegans experience this increasing preference for minimally-cooked and unprocessed foods. Of course, it’s fun to eat the occasional vegan hotdog! Vegan meat substitutes make it easier to be a part of social events, and that’s a great thing.

Thank you, Babs, and congratulations on 25 years of being vegan!

Join Babs in supporting the work of Vegan Outreach by signing up for a monthly donation today.

And for help transitioning to a vegetarian or vegan diet, check out our Mentor Program.

By Toni Okamoto

I’m currently in Maryland visiting some friends, including my pal Bella (photographed above).

Bella’s guardians introduced me to an amazing line of 100% plant-based “rawhides” for dogs called Whimzees. They’re a cruelty-free alternative with healthy, natural ingredients, and Bella LOVES them!

If you’re looking for vegan-friendly dog treats, check them out! Here is some important info from their website:

“We’re a company of dog-lovers, people-lovers and Earth-lovers. We’re obsessed with bringing only the best, healthiest and most-fun dog products to the world. And we do it in a sustainable, socially-responsible way.”

You can find WHIMZEES at Petco, PetSmart, Pet Supplies Plus, Pet Valu and independent pet retailers.

If I told you that shopping online could inspire new vegans, would you think it was an April Fools Day joke?

It’s true!

When you shop at The Vegetarian Site in the month of April, they will donate 10% of your sale – in fact, all sales! – to Vegan Outreach, so we can continue spreading the message of compassion and inspiring more people to go vegan!

So whether you need some new shampoo, a pair of boots for upcoming Spring hikes, or chocolate syrup to drizzle on your vegan ice cream, head over to The Vegetarian Site and help reduce animal suffering while you shop!

Buy vegan goods. Inspire new vegans.

The Vegetarian Site will donate to Vegan Outreach 10% of all sales made in April – regardless of what is purchased, by whom, or through what link.

Check out the great products available now at The Vegetarian Site!

Vegan Outreach is a proud sponsor of the 2015 National Animal Rights Conference and we hope you’ll join us there!

The conference, held this year at the Hilton Alexandria Mark Center outside Washington, DC, July 30 – August 2, is the go-to conference for people who want to learn more about animal rights issues, find ways to get active for animals, and meet new and longtime activists from all over the world. The sessions teach effective practices and new approaches to animal advocacy.

Check out the 2014 program schedule to get an idea of what 2015 might offer. There is a lot of information to learn, a lot of people to meet, and – of course – a lot of vegan food to eat!

Vegan Outreach will have a table in the exhibit hall – complete with booklets, t-shirts, and more, as well as friendly faces waiting to say hello to you!

Our President, Jack Norris, RD, and our Executive Vice President, Jon Camp, will each present a session at the conference. Those who attended last year may remember helping us celebrate Jon’s achievement of handing out one million VO booklets and being inducted into the Animal Rights Hall of Fame.

The conference is always full of fun, so we hope to see you there!

As a sponsor of the conference, Vegan Outreach can offer its supporters (that’s you!) $20 off the price of full registration. Register online using the discount code VO20.

 

 

 

Written by Laura Morse

Michelle Obama kicked off her time as first lady by launching ‘Let’s Move,’ a campaign that promised to reduce the obesity epidemic among children in America by bringing together a group of the country’s top nutrition advisors to help make policy changes for the American public.  Although there’s still a long way to go when it comes to offering children healthy vegetarian options at their schools, progress has definitely been made in the direction of promoting plant-based food.  Here are five reasons to celebrate the ‘Let’s Move’ campaign:

1. The New Executive Director of ‘Let’s Move,’ Debra Eschemeyer is a food justice activist who encourages educators and parents to teach children where their food comes from. As the co-founder of Food Corps, Eschemeyer educated a division of AmeriCorps workers about the value of providing fresh and local produce to all children.  She recently launched team Fruits ‘n Vegetables (FNV) a program to expose children to healthy produce commercials, seeing as they are currently exposed to over 5,000 unhealthy food ads per year.  Get ready to see more marketing for healthy produce!

2. With the latest meeting of the Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee, nutritional experts recommended eating more fruits and vegetables and cutting back on the saturated fat found in meat. As more and more scientific evidence is revealed in favor of a plant-based diet, more schools will adopt Meatless Mondays Resolutions.

3. Michelle Obama recently partnered with singer and actress Beyoncé to promote healthy eating habits.  Beyoncé supports a plant-based diet and started her “22 Days Nutrition Vegan Meal Delivery Service” this year,  which delivers vegan meals to people’s homes.   As a result, vegan meal deliveries are on the rise with delivery services like Veestro, Lighter, Green Lite Meals, and Forks Over Knives Meals-to-Your-Door, which are perfect for people who are new to a vegetarian lifestyle.

4. Just last week, the “Let’s Move Salad Bars to Schools Initiative” celebrated installing its 4,000^th school salad bar at a school in Baltimore, Maryland. Thousands of children will now have access to healthy produce when they enter their school dining hall. Additionally, studies show that with access to these salad bars, children are increasing their produce consumption.  Give it another decade, and pretty soon we’ll be moving Vegetarian Hot Food Bars into schools, too!

5. New Jersey Senator, Cory Booker, who is a vegan, presides on the leadership committee for Partnership for a Healthier America, which is an organization that works in conjunction with Michelle Obama’s ‘Let’s Move’ campaign. As a member of this committee, Cory Booker has the potential to get dozens of large, private companies, such as Sodexo, to move towards adding more sustainable vegetarian options.

There’s no doubt that we still have a long way to go to reduce the obesity rate in America, which remains around 17% for children between the ages of 2 and 18.   But let’s take a moment to praise the small steps that are moving us in the direction of a sustainable and compassionate plant-based future.  Let’s celebrate these national food policy victories that are bringing us closer to our goals of a more compassionate vegetarian world!  Please provide comments on this blog post (below) about the school lunches being served in your cities and what plant-based options are available for kids.

Laura Morse is currently a student at The Natural Gourmet Institute, where she studies plant-based cooking and nutrition. She’s a Vegan Outreach volunteer and the former President of the Penn State Vegetarian Club.

 

Welcome to the “Supporter Spotlight” post for March! In these new monthly blog posts, we take a moment to shine a spotlight on our members, whose hard work and generosity truly enable the work of Vegan Outreach. Let’s peel back the curtain and get to know one of these champions for animals, Todd Hilson.

Tell us about yourself, Todd.

I am 17 years happily married with three growing boys (ages 13, 10 and 6) and three furry babies (two kitties and a rescue greyhound). I am a walking oxymoron… I’m a vegan Christian crossfitter with an MBA. I enjoy coaching my boys in soccer and playing tennis with them, playing fetch with Dolly (our greyhound) in our backyard, drinking craft beer, and participating in muddy obstacle course races. I work for our family’s chemical distribution business that my father started in 1973 and am responsible for purchasing and inventory management.

Share with us the story of your “vegan journey.”

It all started with reading Gail Eisnitz’s book, “Slaughterhouse: The Shocking Story of Greed, Neglect, and Inhumane Treatment Inside the U.S. Meat Industry.” Upon reading this book (and several others afterwards), my eyes were opened to the immense suffering farmed animals endure. I became lacto-ovo vegetarian in March 2000, and then went vegan in January 2006 and haven’t looked back since. My 13-year-old has joined me on this quest and has been a lacto-ovo vegetarian for a few years now!

You’ve given monthly to Vegan Outreach for years. Why do you support VO?

I love the mission, message, and distribution of VO. I think targeting college-aged students is a great idea and I like the language in VO’s materials. It’s not an “all or nothing” approach to veganism so people are more open to it.

What advice would you give to someone considering vegan eating?

Don’t be afraid to try new foods and don’t worry about what other people think! You will soon realize that there are many new foods you like, and once you’ve had tofu prepared properly at a good Asian restaurant, your opinion of it will change forever! Life’s too short to worry about what other people think of your lifestyle choices.

Finally, share with us your absolute favorite meal.

While I have many, I would have to say that my absolute favorite is a dish served at a local Thai restaurant. The dish is called Rama Delight and it is part coconut milk curry, part peanut-sauce with tofu and broccoli. It’s simply amazing.

Thank you, Todd, and thank you to all our wonderful supporters!

Join Todd in supporting the work of Vegan Outreach by signing up for a monthly donation today.

By Josie Moody, Vegan Outreach Office Manager

When I first became vegan four years ago, it was after meeting my boyfriend, Mitch, who had been vegan for over 17 years. I felt so lucky to have someone in my life that I could ask all sorts of questions, from what he ate to how to handle specific situations I found myself in.

For me, having a vegan partner made it especially easy to adopt a vegan lifestyle. I considered Mitch my Vegan Guide. Sometimes, as vegans, it’s pretty obvious what you can eat, or substitute, or what you can tell someone who doesn’t understand why you don’t eat animals. But sometimes it’s not, especially in the beginning.

I went vegetarian a few years before becoming vegan. When people would ask me why I didn’t eat meat, the only thing I could say was that I felt weird eating animals. I felt like that wasn’t an easy enough reason to understand. However, years later, I know that it’s a perfectly acceptable answer. As a vegan, you don’t have to know everything there is about veganism  (or vegetarianism, or reducing your consumption of meat). All you need to know is that you don’t feel right eating animals, and that you don’t have to.

That’s why I’m so grateful to help out with Vegan Outreach’s Vegan Mentor Program. Launched earlier this winter, this program pairs up people who either want to eat fewer animal products, become vegetarian or go vegan with people who are already vegan.

The majority of vegans out there likely didn’t have a lot of support when they wanted to make this particular change in their lives. Though they weren’t afforded this luxury, they can use their knowledge and experience to help more people become vegan. To me, the best part of this is that people who are seeking mentors are already open-minded—they know what goes on in factory farms, and they want to make a difference. But they have a lot of questions and fears—What will I be able to eat? Will I be hungry all of the time? Will it be hard? What if my family doesn’t support me?

The good news is the number of vegans and amount of resources is growing daily. There are websites, new food products, meet ups, and more … all dedicated to veganism! We’d like to ask you to participate in this trend by either signing up to be a vegan mentor, or, if you’re looking for support yourself, as a vegan mentee. Just take two minutes to complete the brief form, and we will work to pair you up with your match as soon as possible.

If you’re interested in signing up as a mentor, please click here: http://veganoutreach.org/mentor-questionnaire/

If you’re interested in signing up as a mentee, please click here:  http://veganoutreach.org/mentee-questionnaire/

If you have any questions about the Vegan Mentor Program, feel free to contact Josie Moody at [email protected] or Lisa Rimmert at [email protected]

We’re very excited to introduce our newest booklet, The Compassionate Athlete.

VO’s Outreach Coordinators often receive questions from college students who are interested in going veg but concerned that vegetarians and vegans cannot excel at sports or build muscle. The Compassionate Athlete addresses these concerns by highlighting many vegan professional athletes and giving some eating tips and a meal plan. We expect The Compassionate Athlete to be used similarly to ourGuide to Cruelty-Free Eating – by keeping a handful on hand any time we leaflet for when we run into athletes.

We’d like to give a special thanks to Kassy Ortega, Vegan Outreach’s Washington, DC Outreach Coordinator, and Chris Guinn, The Humane League’s Atlanta Director, for this idea and for their hard work on the booklet! We’d also like to express our gratitude to all the athletes who took the time to provide us with pictures and quotes: Austin Aries, Ed Bauer, David Carter, Robert Cheeke, Mindy Collette, Mac Danzig, Seba Johnson, Holly Noll, Rich Roll, Bianca Taylor, Marcella Torres, Derek Tresize, Torre Washington, and Mike Zigomanis.

You can order The Compassionate Athlete from our order form and download a PDF from our Booklet PDFs page.

Welcome to the first “Supporter Spotlight” post! In these new monthly blog posts, we will shine a spotlight on our members, whose hard work and generosity truly enable the work of Vegan Outreach. Let’s peel back the curtain and get to know some of these champions for animals, starting with Jessica Silva.

Jessica, tell us about yourself.

After studying journalism at the University of Maryland, I worked as a science writer for the US Department of Agriculture. Over the course of a 30-year career, I have enjoyed being a writer, editor, teacher, and tutor – always part time so I could be home with my kids too. Now I enjoy spending many hours in the gym every week, getting strong and staying physically fit.

I am 51, but, because of rigorous workouts and a healthy vegan diet, I feel better, younger, and more alive than I did when I was 25. I am beyond blessed that my husband and two grown children, Alex and Crystal, are all vegan and that we are very close.

Tell us about how you became vegan.

At age 7, while walking to a Girl Scouts meeting with three friends, I asked them rhetorically why we eat cows and not dogs. It just did not make sense to me. Both were living, breathing animals with the spark of life inside of them. Both want to breathe the air, feel the warm sun on their faces.

During childhood, I never could stomach eating meat unless it was masked into, for example, a hot dog or pepperoni. Then, when I was 19, I was shown in a dream a cow going down at slaughter. I stopped eating cows and pigs immediately, then chickens and turkeys two years later. I finally let go of fish in my mid 20s.

It wasn’t until I saw undercover footage of abused cows and chickens on Facebook that I realized that dairy and eggs cause as much suffering as, if not more than, actually eating meat. I went vegan in October 2012.

Giving up ice cream was the hardest! I felt like I was addicted. You could find me in the ice cream aisle, lingering outside the case as I considered buying a pint or two “just this once.” I had to picture the mother cow, tethered interminably to her concrete and metal stall. I was able to walk away when I saw her sad, defeated face in my mind’s eye.

How did you first get involved with Vegan Outreach?

I met VO workers at a VegFest and learned I could help educate others through leafleting. I was hooked immediately.

Why do you support VO?

It is imperative that as many people as possible go vegan quickly – for the sake of the animals, as well as our shared Earth. Vegan Outreach has the machine in place to disseminate this information to a large number of people quickly. And they target the right audience – mostly young, open-minded people who are ready for this kind of important change. VO has a no nonsense approach to a huge problem, and they utilize resources efficiently and wisely.

What is one piece of advice you’d give to someone considering vegan eating?

Talk to other vegans – a lot! Going vegan can seem daunting at first. Most vegans are more than willing to help you as you navigate meal planning, eating out, dealing with skeptical friends and family, “getting enough protein,” etc.

Finally, share with us your absolute favorite meal.

Any Asian dish with tofu and veggies! I love Thai coconut basil curry, stir fry, Kung Pao tofu, etc.

Thank you, Jessica, and thank you to all our wonderful supporters!

By Toni Okamoto

We all remember when the King and Queen of Hip Hop tried their 22 days of veganism, right? Well, it turns out that Beyoncé loved the vegan challenge so much that she is hoping to make it easier and more accessible by launching an all vegan, gluten-free, soy-free, non-GMO meal delivery service.

This is HUGE for the animals! Beyoncé’s resources are endless, and her influence on her fans is impressive. We’re feeling positive that with this kind of exposure, veganism has officially arrived in mainstream culture.

Click here to check it out for yourself: http://www.22daysnutrition.com/vegan-meals