This semester, Vegan Outreach intern Carlos Contreras has leafleted 80 different schools, reaching more than 56,000 students; VO’s Mexico Outreach Coordinator, Emmanuel Marquez, has leafleted 83 campuses, placing booklets into the hands of over 64,000 students; and Mexico’s most prolific Adopt a College volunteer, Katia Rodriguez, has leafleted 10 different schools, reaching more than 10,000 students!

Today I had the chance to work with the owners of a new vegetarian / vegan restaurant at an event that was held where I study; this event was focused on environmental-related topics. They were selling vegan food since 9:00 am at the main hallway; I started leafleting after exams somewhere around 12:00 pm. I thought I wasn’t going to be able to hand out as many leaflets as I was hoping, since students were just taking exams and leaving home afterwards, but surprisingly, there was a 100% take rate, and 505 students and attendants were reached.

A good amount of people that received leaflets decided to try vegan food, so it was a win-win situation: they read about veganism and tried vegan food right after doing it; people were really open. Four people that I reached were already vegan or vegetarian, and some others – especially moms – asked basic questions about veganism, since their sons / daughters decided to turn vegan recently.

—Katia Rodriguez, 4/21/15

Today was an amazing day. We visited the BUAP with a lot of support from local activists. There were so many good things that it was hard to keep track of them: literally thousands of people reading the leaflets all over the campus, countless people asking for more info, and conversations that ended in people willing to give veg eating a try.

Aurelio [below, left] is a vegan chef that helps through developing easy recipes. Cesar [below, center] is a high school professor who after a long talk told me he changed his perception of animals and started to look at them as subjects instead of objects; he will start moving to vegan eating and took a bunch of leaflets for his students. Elena [below, right] was already aware of the plight of animals in farms; she is a vegetarian but now she is going vegan. It was incredible.

—Team Vegan member Emmanuel Marquez, 5/18/15

Support VO’s Adopt a College leafleting program: Have your donation doubled today! The more money raised, the more animals spared from suffering.

We’re excited to announce that Adopt a College activists have set a new semester leafleting record! As of today, we’ve personally handed a booklet to 1,061,466 students at 1,037 schools this spring semester. And the semester isn’t over yet!

This is the second time in a row that we’ve reached more than a million students in a single semester. Thank you to all the dedicated volunteers and employees who got out in all weather conditions, day after day, to reach so many young minds with the plight of farmed animals. And thank you to our thoughtful donors whose contributions make this work possible.

Set More Records via Team Vegan

Dozens of activists have been working hard to raise money for VO’s Team Vegan matching campaign. Thanks to their dedication – and to the generosity of hundreds of donors – Team Vegan has so far raised more than $61,000! These funds are vital, as they fuel our Adopt a College outreach for the fall.

If you want to see VO continue its record-setting outreach, please consider donating to Team Vegan today. Help us reach our goal of $150,000 – matched to become $300,000 – so we can spread compassion to more people than ever!

Give now at TeamVegan.org.

Today is the last day to get $100 added to your Team Vegan campaign – bringing you closer to raising $500 and winning a coveted Team Vegan cap!

Thanks to a generous donor, your campaign will get $100 of “seed money” if you sign up for Team Vegan and post a photo and text by today, May 20. Raise $500 total between now and the end of the campaign on June 30, and receive a Team Vegan cap like those pictured above.

So far – since May 1 – VO supporters have donated more than $41,000 to fund our effective grassroots, person-to-person activism. Together, we’re exposing the horrors of animal ag, inspiring more people to adopt a cruelty-free lifestyle, and reducing the suffering of animals.

And every dollar raised up to $150,000 will be doubled, thanks to a handful of generous donors who have pledged to match it. That means you can enable twice as much outreach and inspire twice as many people to make positive changes for animals!

Together we have accomplished so much. But we need your help now to raise $150,000 for animals – which will be matched to become $300,000.

Help us reduce as much suffering as we can.

Join 80 fellow animal advocates by signing up for Team Vegan today.

Two years ago, Ashley was handed a Vegan Outreach booklet. Not only did she go vegan, she also started handing out VO booklets herself! Click the image above to hear her story.

VO’s grassroots, person-to-person approach means that not only do people learn about factory farming and cruelty-free eating – they also get to meet and interact with a friendly animal activist, ask questions, and get tips and advice on the spot!

And since VO leaflets even in really remote areas, we’re reaching people who are meeting an animal activist for the first time!

Celebrate Ashley and all the others who have gone vegan and become activists upon receiving a VO booklet. Donate to our Team Vegan campaign and your donation will be matched dollar-for-dollar, doubling your impact for animals!

Choose a Team Vegan member to donate to, or make a general donation at TeamVegan.biz. Thank you for helping us to reduce animal suffering!

By Toni Okamoto

My favorite long-time animal lover, Morrissey, has arranged Madison Square Garden to sell exclusively vegan food while he plays his concert on June 27th! How cool is that?

Excerpts from The New York Post, May 1st, 2015, MSG is Ditching Meat Because Morrissey is Vegan:

“Not only is it possible for venues to provide a 100 percent meat-free menu — as is done now at every concert venue in which I perform, including Madison Square Garden, where I have a show at the end of June — it’s also a moral duty.” -Morrissey

From now until June 6th – the last day of horse racing’s Triple Crown – author Kristine Oakhurst is donating to Vegan Outreach 100% of her royalties from the book Tall Omaha, a touching story that sheds light on the horse racing industry.

Who is Kristine Oakhurst, how did her love for horses inspire her to write Tall Omaha, and why is a horse enthusiast donating to an organization focused on getting cows, pigs, chickens and other farmed animals off of plates? Sure, she’s vegan, but is there more to it? We talk with Kristine to find out more about her story – and the connection between horses and food.

Kristine, tell us about the path that led you to write Tall Omaha.

I had a rough go as a kid. Later, when I was a cop, I saw even more kids with rougher goes. Somewhere along the way, a story synthesized between the overlap of child abuse and animal abuse. [Editor’s Note: The book follows the almost-parallel stories of a young woman and a red filly, both of whom are discarded in their own ways.]

Additionally, most horse stories—novels or movies—are much too saccharine and really gloss over the horse-industry machinery. Tall Omaha is pretty dark. Bleak. But it’s real. A certain type of person really digs it. It mixes personal stories, horrors from my time as an animal cruelty investigator, and realities that are all too common.

Max and the red filly are both near and dear to me. Max is most definitely not autobiographical—she’s much smarter than I was at her age! The book and the main horse protagonist are both named after my own Thoroughbred rescue—Mara—a friend and partner who helped me heal, grow up, and look to the future. Mara was another lady with a rough go; along with vegan/animal welfare issues, I think my pro-woman stance is pretty obvious throughout the book.

What are you most proud of about the book?

I’m proud that it’s not just for horse people. I’m proud that it’s not just for feminists. I’m proud that people like the story. I’m proud that Tall Omaha has spurred a real dialogue about horse industry abuses. Some horse lovers are afraid of truth and conflict and acknowledgement of bad things. Bad things exist; don’t our animal friends know it?!

More than a few people have told me the chapters around the horses being transported from auction or feedlot to slaughter was the final straw in cutting meat out of their diet. So that’s nice!

Why partner with a vegan advocacy organization? What does horse racing have to do with veganism?

Education is stronger than judgement. We need to bring people into the fold, not admonish them for being less-than-perfect vegans. VO does a really good job of this.

Very few people really understand the impact horses and horse racing have on the meat industry. Many people assume horse meat is used for pet food; however, horse meat hasn’t been used in pet food since the 1970s. Instead, the horse meat from unwanted racehorses is used for human consumption.

Wild horses that roam Bureau of Land Management owned lands are routinely rounded up due to overgrazing. However, this overgrazing is a direct result of cattle grazing, not horses. These wild horses are held in small pens and often euthanized. Wild horses are branded and are not supposed to end up at slaughter houses, but there is no oversight, so they end up on dinner plates. All because of the beef industry.

People don’t think of horses being consumed by humans, but they are. Over 200,000 American horses end up on dinner plates each year. Worldwide, around 4.5 million horses are consumed by humans. Horses are the under-defended meat in the vegan/vegetarian fight.

How and when did you become vegan?

I stopped eating meat over 25 years ago. I just couldn’t square loving a cat and eating a pig. As I grew up, I never did consume large quantities of dairy. However, I adopted a completely vegan diet five years ago.

My food choices need to be kind; a vegan diet is the only option. Too many people underestimate the power of their purchases. I want my spending to be a voice. I purchase compassionate products, including my food. And we vegans do make a difference. Every additional person who stops paying for cruelty opens the doors for more compassionate products and options. Look at the proliferation of our food options over the last 25 years. We’re doing good for animals! And our bodies.

What’s one thing that everyone reading can do to help with these huge issues?

Boycott any horse racing, especially the Kentucky Derby, while also educating those around you on the fact that racehorses make millions of dollars for people and often end up tortured, at the end of their lives, at a slaughterhouse.

And buy a book to support Vegan Outreach! It’s a donation for VO, and a gift for you. All the money, 100% of my royalties, will go to VO during this year’s Triple Crown. When you get invited to a derby party, support VO instead.

Finally, describe your perfect vegan meal.

Right now I’m on a Roobin (that’s how I spell it) sandwich kick.

Vegan Reuben (Roobin):
Rye Bread
Daiya Swiss Slices
Tempeh
Sauerkraut
Vegan Thousand Island (Veganaise, sweet relish, smoked paprika, garlic salt, lemon juice, ketchup)

Welcome to another edition of our Supporter Spotlight posts!

We have so many supporters, all of whom have interesting stories about how they got involved with animal advocacy and Vegan Outreach! These posts let us take a moment to shine a spotlight on our members, whose hard work and generosity truly enable the work of VO.

This time we talk to Jean Bettanny and her husband Tom. They’ve supported Vegan Outreach in many ways over the years, and it’s such a pleasure to work with them to reduce suffering. Let’s get to know them!

Tell us about yourselves, Jean and Tom.

I am a retired computer programmer / hair stylist, age 70. Tom, my husband of 30 years, age 55, is an intellectual property attorney. We love Latin and Swing dancing, Dj-ing local dances, tennis, travel, movies, bridge and online chess. In addition, Tom is a boating and outdoor enthusiast.

I also volunteer for Vegan Outreach, have burned and distributed thousands of factory farm DVDs, write letters to the editor, and speak up for animals whenever I can.

Share with us the story of your vegan journey.

Tom and I are in our 21st year of plant-based eating and could not imagine going back to the standard American diet (SAD). Even as a child, the thought of killing innocent animals for food bothered me, but I bought into the myth that meat, dairy and eggs were required for human health. Indeed, these foods were listed as the major food groups when I was in school. Butter had its own food group!

Tom had experimented with veganism as a teenager and was also sensitive to the treatment of animals.

In 1995, at age 50, I gathered the courage to read Diet for a New America by John Robbins. It sat unopened on my bookshelf for 6 years because I knew I would have to finally confront details of the nightmarish cruelty inflicted on farmed animals. The book was life-changing however, by making it clear that one could be perfectly healthy on a vegan diet, and that was enough to make the change a no-brainer. We continued our research, reading many other authors, Peter Singer, Gail Eisnitz, Carol Adams, Howard Lyman, etc. and learning how to “veganize” our meals.

How did you first get involved with Vegan Outreach?

I supported all the animal rights groups I could find before discovering Vegan Outreach around 2000 via internet search, and was so impressed with their philosophy that I decided to focus exclusively on this organization.

What inspires your support of VO?

The Henry David Thoreau quote appearing in Vegan Outreach’s early literature: “There are a thousand hacking at the branches of evil to one who is striking at the root.”

The root cause of 99% of animal suffering is eating them. By focusing exclusively on veganism and targeting the audience most receptive to change, I believe Vegan Outreach’s grassroots approach is the best strategy to reduce the most animal suffering in the shortest amount of time with the least amount of resources.

What advice would you give to someone reading this who is considering adopting a vegan diet?

Vegan recipes and advice on how to “veganize” your existing recipes are readily available on the internet. I would advise every aspiring vegan to watch Michael Greger’s video Maximum Nutrition. Near the end of the video he demonstrates how to prepare some easy meals to get you started.

If, like me, you don’t care for cooking or complicated meal preparation, keep a freezer full of Amy’s frozen sandwiches and meals, veggie sausages and salami, baked tofu, seitan, Trader Joe’s vegan meats, frozen fruits and veggies and just heat everything up quickly in the microwave oven. If you don’t want to buy meat analogues, cook a large pot of rice or other grain and serve with beans and veggies, flavor with olive oil and nutritional yeast (tastes like Parmesan cheese) and spices.

For snacks, keep on hand varieties of nuts and seeds, fresh fruit, corn thins, bread, nut butters, cereal, soymilk, raisins, etc. A typical small meal for me is a microwaved sweet potato with margarine.

Finally, share with us your absolute favorite meal.

Jean: A large bowl of fresh or frozen mixed berries (thaw in microwave) topped with vegan sour cream and maple syrup. I have to add that I’m addicted to nutritional yeast flakes and sprinkle it on everything from veggies, potatoes, grains, popcorn, etc.

Tom: Tofu Reuben sandwich – toasted sourdough bread with a slab of tofu sautéed in onions, sauerkraut, mustard, Vegenaise and pepper with a Greek-style salad on the side.

Thank you, Jean and Tom, and thank you to all our wonderful supporters!

Team Vegan begins today, and if you’ve been on the fence about signing up to raise funds, here are ten reasons you should register now!

1. Donations will be doubled.  A handful of incredibly generous donors have agreed to matching donations dollar-for-dollar up to $150,000. That’s $300,000 we can raise for animals!

2. Our outreach counts on it. Team Vegan donations fuel our Fall outreach – and we want to beat the record we set last Fall, when we handed booklets to more than one million individuals!

3. Farmed animals count on it. It’s up to us to do what we can to be voices for the voiceless. And raising funds to encourage and help people go vegan is one of the best ways to make sure they’re heard.

4. You can win prizes! The top five volunteer fundraisers will receive a $100 gift card to Vegan Essentials, Pangea, or The Vegetarian Site. Fundraisers who raise $500 by June 30 will receive a Team Vegan hat. And everyone will receive a coupon for a free Tofurky product and be eligible for even more prizes!

5. You could start off with $100! A very generous donor has agreed to “seed the pots” of Team Vegan fundraisers who sign up and have a picture uploaded and blurb written by May 20th.

6. It’s a great “gateway” for your non-vegan friends and family into doing something kind for farmed animals. Get them involved in supporting VO, and they may decide to take a next step: reading about factory farming on our website, ordering a Guide to Cruelty-Free Eating, or just paying more attention when you post recipes online.

7. You’ll be representing VO, which has been around since 1993, putting farmed animals front and center and conducting strategic and effective grassroots vegan activism.

8. You won’t be alone! Each week, you’ll receive an email from me – Lisa – with tidbits of inspiration, tips about effective fundraising, and some fun surprises!

9. It’s inspiring! You will be surprised and delighted by the generosity of your friends and family. They’ll give because they want to support you, and what a great way to do so.

10. The math sums it up: More donations = more outreach = less suffering!

Our Outreach Coordinators often exceed our expectations with the wonderful work that they do, but recently Vic Sjodin went far above and beyond! After giving a talk at Cypress College in Southern California, he helped two people who were interested in veganism learn more about delicious vegan products! Here are Tina and Alex with their new spread on a shopping trip with Vic!

Written to VO’s Senior Outreach & Strategy Coordinator, Vic Sjodin: 

“Once again, I would like to express my gratitude. I was deeply touched by your presentation and Q&A [at Cypress College]. I am excited to start my new diet and journey in life. I am done crying and will focus that energy to spread veganism. I want to be an example to my family and friends. I am excited to continue learning about veganism and to spread that knowledge.…

$10,000 is on the line! Vote for Vegan Outreach to help us win some much-needed funds to prevent animal suffering! It’s really easy and only takes one minute! Click “Play the Giving Game” at: http://www.mostgoodyoucando.com/the-movement/