Guest Post by Liz Gary

Liz Gary knows how to roll up her sleeves and bake some cookies! Three years ago Liz decided to dedicate the second Saturday of December each year to gathering friends together to bake, decorate, and gift wrap vegan holiday cookie packages to share with family, friends, neighbors, and co-workers. Her special cookie gifts come complete with vegan recipe gift cards that are meant to create “food for thought” and inspire the lucky recipients to consider a vegan diet. Most people don’t think about cookies as a way to help people start making the connection between diet, the environment, and animal welfare but Liz found that using a little sweetness can go a long way! Gather your friends together and bake cookies for a cause! Here’s how she did it.

Chef Gina Sample, founder of the Vegan Lab demonstrates how to make vegan and gluten-free holiday cookie dough in the gourmet kitchen of vegan bloggers David and Donna Kater

Interior Designer Susan Matanguihan came to learn more about vegan and gluten-free baking and help out with creative ideas for gift wrapping and packaging the cookie gifts.

Soy to the World! Vegan Cooking Instructor and Founder of Veg Appeal Tracy Childs monitored the ovens and helped distribute a variety of cookies including vegan and gluten-free cherry thumbprints, vegan gingerbread men, roll-out cane sugar cookies, pecan snowballs, and chocolate chip walnut cookies.

Holiday bakers assembled cookie gift packages at a wrapping station that included recipe gift cards that help raise awareness to the fact that cookies can still be delicious (and even better!) when you leave out the traditional eggs and dairy.

Each participant was invited to make up to six cookie gift packages, host David Kater (left) looks on while Paul Yancey proudly displays his cookie creations.

Holiday joy was abundant with caroling and drawings for special gifts including an online Vegan Fusion course donated by author Mark Reinfeld, a Vegan in Volume Cookbook donated by the Humane Society of the United States, and Earth Balance t-shirts donated by Boulder Brands.

Liz Gary’s event this year raised funds for both Vegan Outreach and the Veg Fund. Both donations were matched dollar for dollar increasing her total contribution to $400.00 for vegan outreach projects in 2015. Liz develops and coordinates a variety of vegan outreach events throughout the year including free Vegan Food Fairs and Meatless Monday Family Cooking Classes held through the San Diego Public Library System. She leads plant based culinary tours, consults to the foodservice industry and plans to host her first Vegan Fashion Show and Food Fair in 2015. For more information and tips on hosting a vegan fundraiser contact Liz by email at [email protected].

Lana Smithson, VO’s New England Outreach Coordinator, has leafleted 32 different campuses this semester, handing out nearly 12,000 Vegan Outreach booklets!

Earlier this month, Lana and first-time leafleter Andy Charles reached hundreds of students at the University of Southern Maine:

The weather in Maine has been icy and awful lately, and today there was steady cold rain, so we stayed indoors next to an enclosed walkway. Andy was a natural at leafleting. He has a great sense of humor and did some joking with students, which made for a fun atmosphere. He’s excellent at engaging in conversations. One student told him that he’s been thinking for a while about going veg but just hasn’t done it yet. Andy was very encouraging and told him a bit about his experience on the path of going vegan. The student thanked him and was motivated to give it a try!

—Lana Smithson, 12/10/14

Support Vegan Outreach’s work by setting up a new automatic monthly contribution today, and a generous donor will triple the amount of your first month’s donation!

By Toni Okamoto

Wondering what to get for the vegan who has everything? How about something fun AND useful?!  Here are some of my kitchen favorites, varying in price but comparable in good quality!

Jeanette Zeis Vegan Dishes

Noodlehug Art

Vegan Cutting Board

Fabulous Kitchen Apron

Refrigerator Magnet

“What I Eat” Hebivore Clothing Tote

Betty Rawker Nut Bag

Jeanette Zeis Nutritional Yeast Jar

This past month, a handful of generous donors have matched your contributions dollar-for-dollar, doubling your impact for the animals. On this day, December 17, 2014, one of those donors has stepped up to TRIPLE your impact!

John Sakars and Alex Greenwood are two of the Adopt a College program’s most dedicated volunteers. This semester alone, John has leafleted 11 different campuses, directly handing Vegan Outreach booklets to more than 17,000 students! And Alex has been to 7 different schools this fall, directly handing VO booklets to over 11,000 students!

John (above) and Alex (below) reached 2,050 students at the University of Toronto on 9/25/14. Alex reports: “John met a student who said she already had a leaflet and that is the reason she went vegetarian.”

The following Monday, they returned to the campus and reached another 1,250 students:

I had many conversations with students about how to help the animals. At first, one woman told me she’d be okay with eating meat if the animals were treated better. However, after I said there’s no such thing as “humane meat,” she looked through the leaflet and began to cry. She talked about how much she loves animals. I told her it was wonderful to see her crying, because it means she feels empathy and that’s awesome. She took a Guide to Cruelty-Free Eating. I think our conversation, and the leaflets, changed her life.

—John Sakars, 9/29/14

Through December 31, your donation to Vegan Outreach will change twice as many lives: Click here to receive dollar-for-dollar matching today!

By Toni Okamoto

Looking for the perfect gift for the veg kid in your life? Look no further, we’ve got you covered!

That’s Why We Don’t Eat Animals by Ruby Roth

“That’s Why We Don’t Eat Animals uses colorful artwork and lively text to introduce vegetarianism and veganism to early readers (ages six to ten). Written and illustrated by Ruby Roth, the book features an endearing animal cast of pigs, turkeys, cows, quail, turtles, and dolphins. These creatures are shown in both their natural state—rooting around, bonding, nuzzling, cuddling, grooming one another, and charming each other with their family instincts and rituals—and in the terrible conditions of the factory farm.”

Fur and Feathers Board Game

“Fur & Feathers is a board game that teaches children about the importance of being kind to animals (and how our daily choices affect them), without being preachy or negative. Kids get to adopt animals from shelters, answer animal fact questions, and order cruelty-free foods at cafes. The first player to rescue 1 of each of all 5 animals wins the game.”

Good Luck Elephant Tee from Herbivore Clothing

Kidlicious by Stephanie & Anneliese Howard

“The first completely plant-based cookbook designed to get kids excited about eating healthy. Kidlicious has covers Breakfast through dessert, fun and healthy recipes to get the whole family cooking together!”

Vegan Allergy Wristband 

“Allermates has the solution – their new “Captain V” Vegan Wristband is a fun and simple way to make it easily known that your child does not eat animal products, making it much easier for teachers and caregivers to always know about dietary restrictions that need to be adhered to.  It’s also fun for kids with the bright green band and Captain V on the front, giving them something fun to wear while also bringing awareness to their lifestyle.  Band fits most children from ages 2 up, and has three adjustable snaps for varying wrist sizes.  Latex-free band with nickel-free snaps is allergen-safe, and product quality meets and exceeds both US and European safety standards.”

Chicken Run

“A comedy drama set on a Yorkshire chicken farm in 1950s England, the story follows the turbulent romance between Rocky the Rooster and Ginger the chicken, both of whom yearn for freedom and are planning a daring “prisoner of war” style escape. Both chickens are tired of being repressed and know they face an eventual certain death, so in planning their escape, they rally with their fellow chickens.”

Soy Based Crayon Rocks

“Sixty-four (64) Non-toxic, all natural soy wax crayons in 16 colors: red, green, blue, egg yolk yellow, black, brown, orange, purple, pink, grass green, sky blue, sunshine yellow, gray, tan, peach.”

Rhino Shirt

Dave Loves Chickens by Carlos Patino

“Dave Loves Chickens is the first in a series of books for young children examining the unique characteristics of animals and questioning why people eat them. The main character of the book, Dave, is a quirky monster from another planet who knows all sorts of fun and interesting facts about animals. Dave simply loves animals on Earth and encourages others to appreciate them and not eat them! This fun, lighthearted book, full of bold colors and friendly illustrations, is ideal for parents who would like to introduce their children to a more compassionate way of treating animals.”

 

Andy MacKenzie is one of the Adopt a College program’s most dedicated volunteers. He’s leafleted 22 different campuses this semester, directly handing Vegan Outreach booklets to more than 17,000 students!

Below is Andy with Hector, a Mt. San Antonio College student who now wants to go vegan!

Absolutely phenomenal day at Fullerton College. I would do it for free. I gave two fairly long impromptu speeches to a group of nine at first, and then another five. They were really special interactions, and made my month. The first group was just beyond great. I loved these kids.

Andy was great as usual. He saved a woman who was getting beaten last night, and today was a rock. Also he’s constantly picking up trash; and after volunteering, he bikes to cook for Food Not Bombs, four days a week.

One student came back to Andy and asked for 10 booklets to show friends and family. Another came back to ask for literature to show classmates. Andy gave a Guide to Cruelty-Free Eating to a man with protein questions.

We saw a good amount of readers and met really great kids today. I feel we had an impact on many, and hopefully many more that we never got to speak with.

—Vic Sjodin, 11/11/14

Make a special, year-end contribution for the animals by December 31 and receive dollar-for-dollar matching! All donations to Vegan Outreach are fully tax-deductible.

Joe Espinosa is this semester’s most prolific Adopt a College volunteer. He’s traveled to 13 different schools this fall, directly handing Vegan Outreach booklets to more than 17,000 students!

Despite his full-time job as a social worker, Joe has consistently put in long hours on his days off in order to inform people of the plight of farmed animals. Earlier this month, Joe spent 7 continuous hours (his record is 14 hours straight!) at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, handing out 666 Even If You Like Meat booklets:

My third run at this school for the semester yielded about what it always does, about 100 booklets per hour. I heard from 4 vegans and 10 vegetarians. Early on I spoke with a student who stated that she does not eat beef and pork. I delivered the tough news that due to their smaller size, birds suffer in the highest numbers (and intensity), so dropping chicken and turkey flesh was a very impactful move to spare animals from suffering. She got a Guide to Cruelty-Free Eating.

—Joe Espinosa, 12/2/14

Through December 31, Your Donation to VO = 2x More Booklets = 2x More Vegans = 2x More Animals Spared!

Kassy Ortega, VO’s Washington, DC Outreach Coordinator, has leafleted 45 different schools this semester, handing out over 34,000 Vegan Outreach booklets!

Above are Mia Amado and Kassy with the George Mason University mascot. Mia, a vegetarian freshman, was inspired to join in when she saw Dave Mosick and Kassy leafleting her school; and she’s now interested in starting an animal advocacy club on campus!

I had two great conversations at Millersville University: one with a student, Hailey, an understandably “angry vegan,” and one with another student who was excited to get the booklet and wants to go veg! I explained to Hailey why it’s so important for animals that we remain positive and advocate for animals, despite our unfortunate circumstances. I told her to remain hopeful – that if someone like her in Central PA can go vegan, so can other students at her school – and that she should be a positive activist (no one wants to join / listen to a group of negative people). My other conversation was with a non-veg student [below] who came up and told me he was inspired and now wants to start cutting meat from his diet. (See, Hailey! Hope!)

—Kassy Ortega, 10/9/14

Inspire more students to go veg: Give to Vegan Outreach by December 31 and your donation will get VO booklets into the hands of twice as many young people!

Guest Post by Shani Campbell

In a victory for elephants forced to perform in circuses in Oakland, the City Council voted to ban the bullhook, after four hours of debate that lasted into the wee hours of the night. A bullhook is a weapon resembling a fireplace poker that is used to train elephants through brutality, pain and fear. The main opposition to the bill, not surprisingly, was Feld Entertainment, Inc. parent company of Ringling Brothers Circus. The Teamsters also made an appearance voicing their fear of job loss. A presentation was given showing numerous undercover videos of elephants being brutally beaten with bullhooks, including undercover video of Ringling handlers abusing their elephants taken by PETA in 2009. One of the most damning pieces of evidence was a video taken by local activist Deniz Bolbol, where a young elephant named Angelica was beaten by a Ringling Brothers handler while chained by two legs at the Oakland arena.

The bullhook ban will go into effect September 2017, which will allow Ringling Brothers to perform through 2017, as their usual tour through Oakland is in August. Ringling Brothers has stated that without the use of the bullhook, they cannot bring their elephants for performances. In a last ditch bullying tactic, Feld Entertainment threatened to pull all of their shows, i.e. Disney on Ice, Monster Truck, Motocross, etc. from the Oakland arena. With the help of councilwoman Rebecca Kaplan a deal was struck with the Unions to include a phase-out period in the ordinance, enabling the arena to properly prepare for the loss of money.

Local and longtime animal advocates Pat Cuviello and Deniz Bolbol spearheaded this ordinance with the support of the Oakland Zoo, East Bay SPCA, PAWS, PETA, HSUS and the Los Angeles activist who spearheaded the ban in Los Angeles. Oakland City Council Member Noel Gallo sponsored the ordinance and Council Member Dan Kalb signed on as a co-sponsor. City Hall was packed with concerned citizens and animal advocates. Damning testimony given by many representatives of organizations including PAWS, the Oakland Zoo, East Bay SPCA, ALDF and PETA was met with roaring applause.

Council Members Larry Reid and Desley Brooks voted against the ban and Council Member Lynette Gibson McElhaney abstained which is essentially a “no” vote.  Council Member McElhaney was very clear with her opposition on the ordinance, as she recalled Ringling employees to the podium to give them more time to try and defend themselves and continued to ignore the clear evidence of abuse from the undercover videos played. A few arena employees spoke during public comment voicing their concern of loss hours while Ringling brought a few employees to comment.

Both current mayor Jean Quan and future mayor Libby Schaaf stated that the use of animals in circuses for entertainment needs to be a thing of the past and this ban is certainly a great first step. Remember, we still need animal advocates to come out to protest Ringling Brothers circus every summer to educate the public about the severe abuse of animals used by circuses. Let this decision be the first of many cities, that slowly but surely put an end to the exploitation of animals for entertainment. Ringling Brothers has stated that it will continue to fight the Oakland bullhook ordinance and we will be there at every step and battle. We must continue to fight for justice and compassion, and our voices will be heard while old cruel traditions will continue to die.