Vegan Outreach Magazine - Fall 2009

Inside Summer Distro: Hot! Hot! Hot! • Adopt a College Amazes! • Letter to a Young Matt

Vegan Outreach

News

Fall 2009

Team Vegan: The Cutting Edge! • Matching Opportunity • New Handbook for Activists

Vegan Outreach’s philosophy is that each sentient individual has a right to his or her body and life. To that end, we promote living so as to contribute to as little animal suffering and death as possible, focusing on “preaching to the convertible” with our booklets. Since Vegan Outreach’s founding in 1993, over 10 million booklets have been distributed.

Total Expenses $710,726 $750,090

FY ’08–’09* Functional Expenses as a Percent of Total Expenses

  Programs (87%)   Support Services (7%)   Fundraising (6%) *Based on preliminary data

The Independent Charities Seal of Excellence is awarded to charities that have, upon rigorous independent review, been able to certify, document, and demonstrate on an annual basis that they meet the highest standards of public accountability, program effectiveness, and cost effectiveness. Of the 1,000,000 charities operating in the United States today, fewer than 2,000 have been awarded this Seal.

Board of Directors Matt Ball, Executive Director Jack Norris, RD, President Mark Foy Kevin Gallagher Anna Lesiecki Director of Development & Programs Anne Green, PhD Director of Outreach Jon Camp Director of Finance & Administration Bill Duarte Designer & Researcher Lauren Panos Advisor Steve Kaufman, MD Privacy Policy Vegan Outreach does not share, sell, or trade any of our members’ information. We’d love to hear from you! Vegan Outreach POB 30865, Tucson, AZ  85751-0865 [email protected] PRINTED ON RECYCLED PAPER

2  Vegan Outreach News|Fall 2009

Your Donations at Work for the Animals! Changing Lives Every Day Welcome to Vegan Outreach’s annual print newsletter. On these pages, we’ll show you what your donations have accomplished in the past year. You’ll see activists in action and read a sampling of the stories we hear daily about people whose lives have been changed because of your support. Because of your contributions, millions have learned the hidden realities of modern agribusiness and have received honest, detailed information about pursuing a cruelty-free life. Because of you, every day brings us closer to the compassionate world we all desire.

Double Your Donation! Impressed by Vegan Outreach’s concrete results, a number of dedicated members have pooled their money to create an end-of-year matching challenge. This means, from November 1 through December 31, your donations to Vegan Outreach’s work will be matched, dollar for dollar, up to $70,000! Enjoy the newsletter, and please support Vegan Outreach so this work can continue! Thanks!

A Weekly Dose of Vegan Goodness! Delivered Free Every Wednesday

Subscribe to Vegan Outreach’s enewsletter for inspiring stories, exciting news, product recommendations, recipes, and much much more: VeganOutreach.org/enewsletter Vegan Outreach is also on Facebook and Twitter!

Of all the email newsletters I receive, yours is the best. You provide the most relevant and interesting info. —SC, 6/27/09

Photos: © iStockphoto.com/Lee Pettet (front cover lambs); © iStockphoto.com/zilli (piglet); © iStockphoto.com/Anatolii Tsekhmister (duckling); © iStockphoto.com/Jose Manuel Gelpi Diaz (chicks); © iStockphoto.com/Altay Kaya (monitor); Jon Camp (Nick); Casey Constable (beachgoers); Jessica Dadds (concertgoers)

Financial Statement Fiscal Year Total Revenue 2007–2008 $731,542 2008–2009* $707,912

No Doubt was an excellent concert to leaflet, lots of young and thoughtful people. One young lady took a leaflet from me, pointed straight to the ground in front of my feet, and told her two friends, “Right here, in this very spot. This is where I went vegetarian.” You know it happens all the time, and once in a while, we’re in earshot to hear it. —Stewart Solomon, 8/5/09 Building on lessons from previous years, Vegan Outreach’s summer outreach was the most focused and efficient ever, with refined leafleting techniques and a special Warped Tour booklet cover. Activists, including traveling members of the Humane Leagues of Philadelphia and Baltimore, handed booklets to over 165,000 young people at this year’s Warped Tour!

Kyle Tveten, Twila Hoyle, Derwin Wilright, Jr., and Lucius Wesson provided VO booklets to more than 4,000 teens at the ELCA Youth Gathering in New Orleans on 7/24/09.

Leafleting the Lutheran Youth Convention, we came across about 40 vegetarians, whose comments made our day. “I appreciate you guys being out here!” “Keep it up!” “You’re doing great work!” and countless other remarks were warmly offered. Some might say 40 is nothing. A few years ago we would have met zero. Let’s see what we get next year. —Derwin Wilright, Jr., 7/25/09

Overall, summer leafleters across the continent directly reached 319,563 individuals at concerts, festivals, and other venues. As a result, requests for our Guide to Cruelty-Free Eating poured in every day! Nick Cooney (above) and fellow HLP activists teamed up with Petra Halasova, Lubica Janovova, Darina Smith, and Jon Camp at the Milwaukee Warped Tour stop on 7/30/09 and reached 6,200 fans.

I received a booklet at the Warped Tour, and I ended up reading the entire thing. Of course, everyone has an idea of what animal cruelty is, but actually reading the facts proves that being vegan would definitely help the fight. I plan on pursuing the lifestyle. —AB, 7/7/09

Above: Concertgoers check out their special Warped Tour Why Vegan? booklets at the Portland, OR show on 8/16/09—just 2 of the 4,125 young people reached by Yvonne LeGrice, Ramona, Jessica Dadds, Marsha Rakestraw, Sylvia Mayorga, Lori Alexander and her three children, Jimmy, Emily, and Lois. Left: At Galveston Beach, TX, Casey Constable found hundreds of young people willing to consider a compassionate diet.

At the Ani DiFranco concert, I gave a woman a Compassionate Choices, and she showed it to her husband. He looked at the cover image and said, “It’s a chick!” in a dismissive way. A little while later, the couple walked past me and the man pointed to the booklet: “This is very compelling.” —Julie Rothman, 7/12/09 Fall 2009|Vegan Outreach News  3

Eileen Botti (above), Jennifer Greene, Heather Kramer, and Peter Bass reached 2,918 SUNY students on 4/27/09.

CUNY John Jay was amazing—Sean Diener and I handed out over 1,200 booklets in just a few hours. A couple of the highlights: “I just wanted you to know that pamphlet made me go vegetarian last time you were here.” One student to her friend, “Oh yeah, I got that—I think I’m going vegetarian!” —Eileen Botti, 5/6/09

s! e z a m A AAC on Students

My, how we’ve grown!

illi M e n O r ar! e Y Ove l o o h c in One S

During its inaugural year (2003–2004), Vegan Outreach’s Adopt a College program reached 81,779 students.

Since then, AAC has exploded, becoming the premier grassroots campaign in the country.

During the 2008–2009 school year, hundreds of activists took the animals’ message directly to 1,178,906 students at 985 schools around the world! Your support has allowed dedicated activists to go straight to thousands of new people, every day, in every U.S. state, as well as in Canada, Mexico, Italy, and now Australia. You can follow this semester’s progress at AdoptaCollege.org

I went to my alma mater, UNAM (National Autonomous University of Mexico), and gave out 206 booklets in a heartbeat. Reception was very close to perfect. While there, I had lunch with a dear friend. Yesterday I received an email from him that said: “I want to let you know that I was very persuaded by our conversation and the vegan booklet. I’m heading that way.” —Italia Millan (at right, with friend), 6/20/09 Tom Schlieske (above), Jon Camp (below), Joe Espinosa, and Sean Hollick handed out 3,000 Even If You Like Meat booklets plus 25 copies of our Guide to Cruelty-Free Eating at Illinois State University on 8/18/09.

Leafleting at the University of Illinois, Chicago, one young woman told her friend, “You have to take one of those! It’s what turned me into a vegetarian.” —Jon Camp, 6/17/09

Students Handed a Brochure:  Fall 2003 – Spring 2009 3,500,000

3,500,000

3,000,000

3,000,000

2,500,000

2,500,000

2,000,000

2,000,000

1,500,000

1,500,000

1,000,000

1,000,000

500,000

500,000 FALL ’03

SPR ’04 FALL ’04 SPR ’05

FALL ’05

Semester Totals

SPR ’06 FALL ’06

SPR ’07

SPR ’08 FALL ’08 SPR ’09

Cumulative Semester Totals

Photos: Jennifer Greene (Eileen); Jon Camp (Tom, Vinia); Tom Schlieske (Jon); Don Hughes (Italia); Leah Wagner (students); Casey Constable (Jenn)

4  Vegan Outreach News|Fall 2009

FALL ’07

I believe very much that Vegan Outreach’s Adopt a College is the most effective form of animal rights activity in terms of numbers of animals saved and in terms of creating lasting changes to society. Leafleting is being done on a weekly basis at Melbourne University, so friends and I have moved on to Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology. This is the most effective animal rights advocacy that can be done, and I am happy to work with you. —Roy E. Taylor, Australia, 5/31/09

Leafleting Leaders:  Fall 2008 – Spring 2009 School Year State

Schools

Booklets

Leafleters with Totals > 1,500 Booklets

Vic Sjodin*

PA

150

156,681

Jon Camp*

MD

161

123,320

Brian Grupe*

CA

154

73,536

Eileen Botti*

NY

82

68,048

Brianne Donaldson*

CA

54

60,677

Casey Constable

TX

61

59,841

Joe Espinosa

IL

35

57,035

Rob Gilbride*

NC

104

49,092

Fred Tyler*

MN

87

41,387

Florida Voices for Animals*

FL

27

30,128

Eric Paul*

CA

49

26,658

Rick Hershey*

MO

13

26,465

Humane League of Philadelphia*

PA

30

25,753

Stewart Solomon

CA

12

25,693

Leslie Patterson

IL

30

22,379

Humane League of Baltimore*

MD

34

19,345

Leah Wagner

TX

26

17,482

Miranda Robbins*

CA

19

16,055

Jim Skirha

IL

11

14,191

Barbara Bear

CO

5

11,489

Compassionate Action for Animals*

MN

10

11,307

Mercy For Animals*

IL

11

10,719

Maureen Wilson

OR

14

9,800

Loren Hart

NC

17

9,048

Animal Protection & Rescue League* AgireOra* Darius Fullmer Eleni Vlachos Lana Smithson Twila Hoyle Brandon Becker John Bowers Vegas Veg* Linda Bower SMART* Jessica Dadds Darina Smith Rose Ann Skirha Penn State Vegetarian Club* Michelle Cehn Massachusetts Animal Rights Coalition* Kenny Torrella Kira Vincent Jeff Boghosian Heather Kramer Jennifer Greene Outreach Alliance for Kids and Animals* Eric Griffith John Sakars Eva Helsel Jenny Jacobs Monica Ferroe Jane Shakman Tom Schlieske Katherine Groff Amelia Mayer Alicia Koberstein

Top Adopt a College Leafleters

Mizzou students read Even If You Like Meat—3 of the 3,913 people reached by Leah Wagner and Rick Hershey on 4/8/09.

At Northwestern, one man stopped and told me we should worry about human suffering first. I said we can prevent terrible suffering simply by choosing vegan foods. After talking a bit, he said it seemed like the right thing to do and that he would give it a try. —Leslie Patterson, 7/17/09

Vinia Vongchareun (above), Amber Coon, and Jon Camp handed out 950 booklets at Syracuse University on 4/17/09. Jenn George (below), Vic Sjodin, and Casey Constable reached 1,600 students at UMass Amherst on 4/24/09.

My daughter and I both went vegan a few years ago from brochures received on a college campus, so we know firsthand that Vegan Outreach works. —Laura Stuebe, 6/18/09

*Activist group or paid to leaflet throughout or part of the school year

Distribution Totals:  August 1, 2003 – September 22, 2009 Schools Leafleted

1,433

Students Handed a Brochure

3,570,343 Fall 2009|Vegan Outreach News  5

One thing long-time vegans often forget is how hard it can be to be vegan in this society. But if I think back to when I went vegan about two decades ago, I do remember some of how hard it was. Not so much finding vegan food (although it was much harder then), but living in a nonvegan world. I had finally come to recognize the brutality that went on behind the scenes, but it seemed that no one around me cared. Of course, I had to show them—show them how ethical I was, how much cruelty I could purge from my life, how far I would go for the animals. Being vegan became my defining characteristic, and I became obsessed with justifying and glorifying veganism. At Dakota County Technical College, one woman said, “Don’t start me on that. I worked on one of those nasty places. I know.” I also talked to an older gentleman who took a group of Boy Scouts to a turkey farm. He said he had to leave within half an hour because it made him sick, the way they treated the animals. He said, “They acted like they weren’t even living beings.” —Fred Tyler, 5/4/09

I’m afraid that if my 21-year-old self met my 41-year-old self, prior me would consider older me an intellectual coward, a pathetic sellout, a traitor to veganism. I fear there is nothing I could say to change my prior mind. But sometimes, I do think about what I would say, if I had the chance.

“

 Now, knowing what suffering really is, and knowing how much there is in the world, all my previous concerns seem—well, to put it kindly, ridiculous.

”

The single most important lesson I’ve learned in the past 20 years is that the irreducible heart of what matters is suffering. Back then, although I was sure I knew everything, I really didn’t know anything about suffering—I worried about abstractions and words and principles; I argued about exploitation, oppression, liberation, etc. I didn’t take suffering seriously. Since then, though, I’ve developed a chronic disease, and experienced times when I thought I was going to die, times when I wished I would die. Now, knowing what suffering really is, and knowing how much there is in the world, all my previous concerns seem— well, to put it kindly, ridiculous.

Within the first five minutes at San Jose State, I met a young lady who told me she went veg from receiving a VO booklet previously. She said she had no idea how anyone could NOT go veg once the information is in front of you. At American River College, an African-American student asked about specific pictures and even compared factory farming to slavery. I told him a lot of people have been offended by that comparison and he responded to that saying, “Man, we all suffer, we’re all the same.” —Brian Grupe, 5/5/09 6  Vegan Outreach News|Fall 2009

I don’t know how I could convey this to my younger self, who had never really known suffering. Yet it seems clear to me now—when we make a decision, we should decide based on what leads to the least amount of suffering. This is the bottom line—that something is good and right and ethical if it causes less suffering than the alternatives. As the saying goes, a smart person learns from their own mistakes, but a wise person learns from the mistakes of others. Another mistake I had to make for myself was the trap of “do something, do anything!” If there was some action going on

Lots of good interactions today at the Boulder Farmers’ Market. A number of people approached me for a brochure (I love when that happens). A woman who walked away with the Compassionate Choices, then came back later to thank me for being out there, said she had no idea this happened to animals, and she was proud of me for leafleting. I thanked her and gave her a Guide. —Barbara Bear, 8/2/09 “for the animals,” I had to do it. It never occurred to me to consider exactly what constructive purpose the action served, how much actual good was going to be accomplished, or what were the alter­ native uses of my time and resources. I thought only of showing my dedication, of expressing my outrage. But of course, expressions of outrage aren’t going to bring about animal liberation. I finally realized that if I really cared about something more than venting my anger, my actions had to be a part of a reasoned, logical strategy—grounded in how the world actually is, learning from what history teaches us about how societies change, what psychology and sociology teach us about human nature, and what our capabilities are at the time. After years of unfocused, self-centered, angry activism, I finally came to realize that if I really cared about the animals, I had to maximize the amount of good I accomplished with my limited time and resources. Leafleting the Portland Saturday Market was a great experience. I can’t even remember how many times I heard, “Awww” and “Ewww.” Girls huddled around the booklets. One girl took a booklet and said, “This is why I’m vegetarian! This stuff is real!” Another woman stopped walking and just stood there looking down at the booklet in disbelief. “This is horrible,” she said to her friends.

“

 …if I really cared about the animals, I had to maximize the amount of good I accomplished with my limited time and resources.

”

Photos: Compassion Over Killing (hens); USDA (turkeys, calves); Jon Camp (Matt); © iStockphoto.com/narvikk (piglets)

—Jessica Dadds, 5/13/09

At the University of Wisconsin at Madison, a woman let me know that her daughter had become vegan due to getting our booklet, and another student let me know that the booklet had moved her to become vegetarian. A university staffer told me she buys all local and organic animal products. I pointed out that there is no nice way to cut animals’ heads off. She acknowledged this. —Joe Espinosa, 7/22/09 Fall 2009|Vegan Outreach News  7

“

”

And to do so, I had to set aside my ego, and stop focusing on what most outraged me, personally. Rather, I needed to start from the two fundamental lessons that took me so long to learn: 1. Suffering is irreducibly bad, and thus eliminating suffering is the ultimate good. Loren Hart (above) and Jon Camp reached 1,095 students at UNC Asheville and Western Carolina University on 3/30/09. Jennifer Greene (right) and Eileen Botti handed out 1,128 copies of Even If You Like Meat at SCCC in Selden, NY on 4/30/09.

For many years, I was turned off to the idea of becoming vegan, due to most people and web sites being so hard core. I am very impressed with how you show that doing what you can is more important than being pure. I decided to switch to vegan a few weeks ago. —JE, 6/14/09

Jessica Almy (above), Kevin Satter (opposite page), Will Fisher, and Eileen Botti provided 890 NYU students with copies of Even If You Like Meat on 3/27/09.

I found your site when looking for information so that I can feed a super-militant vegan friend of mine. Your approach to veganism is the first time I have seen it presented in such a way as to not be absurd or demeaning. While I may never be able to be 100% vegan, you have at least opened my mind to the possibility. —BE, 7/15/09 8  Vegan Outreach News|Fall 2009

2. Every time we choose to do one thing, we are choosing not to do another. From these two facts comes Vegan Outreach’s first principle, our bottom line and guide: eliminating as much suffering as possible. Everything we do derives directly from that—we make our choices based on which option will lead to the least amount of suffering. Based entirely on this first principle, we choose to focus on exposing the cruelties of factory farms and industrial slaughterhouses, while providing honest information about how to pursue a cruelty-free lifestyle. Let me repeat—our emphasis on ethical eating derives from our first principle, not vice versa. No specific diet has any value in and of itself. Rather, the importance of promoting crueltyfree eating is that it allows us to have the maximum impact on the amount of suffering in the world. Everyone eats every day, so every person we meet is a potential major victory for the animals. For each and every person you convince to go vegetarian—through your own action or by funding focused advocacy—you double the impact of your life’s choices. Choose to be a part of a dedicated outreach program, Kari Nienstedt and friend at Farm Sanctuary. and every single person who changes because of your outreach and donations will save as many animals as you will save with every choice you make every day for the rest of your life. But if we want to be the best possible advocates for the animals, we can’t give anyone any reasons to ignore the terrible and unnecessary suffering on factory farms and in slaughterhouses. It is absolutely essential that we stay focused on the animals. We are not the issue. Although it took me years to accept this, veganism is not an end in itself—it is only a tool for reducing suffering. Our purpose can’t be to “win an argument with a meat eater.” Our goal has to be to get

Photos: Jon Camp (Loren, Darina, Michele); Eileen Botti (Jessica, Jennifer, Kevin); Italia Millan (Don)

 Everyone eats every day, so every person we meet is a potential major victory for the animals.

people to open their hearts and minds to the animals’ plight. It all simplifies to this:

* *

  Buying meat, eggs, and dairy causes unnecessary suffering.   We can each choose not to cause this suffering.

If we take the long view—and are willing to devote our limited time and resources to the work that needs to be done—we should be deeply optimistic. If we take suffering seriously and are committed to optimal advocacy, we can each create real, fundamental change, every single day.

Because of the number of individuals suffering and the reason behind this hidden brutality, I believe that animal liberation is the moral imperative of our time. We can be the generation that brings about this next great ethical advance. We should Don Hughes and friend at SASHA Farm. revel in the freedom and opportunity we have, the chance to be a part of something so profound! This is as meaningful and joyous a life as I can imagine. We have no excuse for waiting. Taking meaningful, concrete action for the animals doesn’t require anything more than our choice. You don’t need to start a group. You don’t need to pass a law. You just have to make the choice to be a part of this vital work.

Darina Smith (above), Jon Camp, and Mercy For Animals activists Bill, Bridget, and Alexis seized the opportunity to place booklets into the hands of hundreds of new people during the busy, weekend-long Custer Fair in Evanston, IL.

Both days at Evanston Custer Fair were very busy, with a ton of kids in their teens and twenties. It was very gratifying to watch so many of these kids read the booklets right on the spot. I had about 20 people say they were veg; others were just starting out, hungry for information. There is so much more to leafleting than mechanical passing out of pamphlets. Each one of us is no less than a spokesperson, a face and a voice of the movement, an individual who changes people’s hearts. What can be more exciting? —Darina Smith, 6/24/09

“

 We should revel in the freedom and opportunity we have, the chance to be a part of something so profound!

”

In the end, in our hearts, we know that, regardless of what we think of ourselves, our actions reveal the kind of person we really are. We can each make the choice, right here, right now, to join together and dedicate our lives to a larger purpose, to maximize the amount of good we accomplish, to really change the world for the better.

Excerpts from a talk presented in Chicago on June 7, 2009 by Vegan Outreach’s cofounder and executive director, Matt Ball (shown on page 7, leafleting the University of Arizona). The full text of Matt’s talk is available at VeganOutreach.org/articles/youngmatt.html

Michele Castillo (above), Rachel Boonin, Scout Kilbourne, and Jon Camp handed out 800 copies of Even If You Like Meat at UNC Wilmington on 2/20/09.

I was moved to make a donation after reading some of the essays on your web site. I seem to find myself bombarded by the most discouraging and sometimes vitriolic viewpoints these days about animal rights and veganism. Your essays were a much needed reminder that there are still sane people in the animal rights movement who are doing good work. —VM, 7/13/09 Fall 2009|Vegan Outreach News  9

Team Vegan: The Cutting Edge! Considering Team Vegan 2008 raised over $85,000 to promote veganism, Team Vegan ’09 had big shoes to fill. John and Fany set the pace, pledging a $75,000 matching challenge to the dozens of runners across the country. Team Vegan’s athletes rose to the challenge. Not only did they train endless hours and run thousands of miles, but they ran to family and friends to make the match for the animals.

Chicago activists Leslie Patterson and Joe Espinosa regularly use their vacation time to reach new people on campuses in surrounding states; above is Leslie in action at Ohio’s Kent State University, where she and Joe handed out 757 copies of Even If You Like Meat on 4/14/09.

Our first vegan bake sale was a great success—we raised hundreds of dollars for VO, handed out hundreds of VO booklets, answered a ton of questions, and gave people who were trying to become vegan lots of encouragement! I wish you could have heard some of the great conversations. The ripple effect will be amazing. —Becky Koechell, 6/27/09

Alex Bury, Kathy Buckley, Joe Connelly, Lisa Towell, and Henry Chen celebrate Team Vegan’s success at the post-race party in San Francisco.

After the last drop of sweat was rinsed away and the final Clif bar consumed, Team Vegan ’09 put $168,331 to work for the animals! For more about the incredible folks behind Team Vegan’s success, please see VeganOutreach.org/articles/teamvegan09.html and TeamVegan.biz

Order Vegan Outreach Booklets & Shop Our Merchandise Catalog! Mikael Nielsen braves a cold Chicago night at Harold Washington College to explain the truth behind modern agribusiness and the compassionate alternatives to meat, eggs, and dairy.

New Book!

Thank you for your outreach program. I’ve wanted to become a vegetarian for several years. Your pamphlet, which I picked up at Union Square, NYC, made it clear to me that NOW is the time. It’s been two weeks now and I’m not going back!

Also available from our catalog:

—TC, 7/7/09 For more activists’ stories and samples of the feedback we receive every day from those whose lives were changed by your donations, see VeganOutreach.org/feedback 10  Vegan Outreach News|Fall 2009

We’re thrilled to announce the arrival of The Animal Activist’s Handbook, coauthored by VO’s Matt Ball & PETA’s Bruce Friedrich. On sale from VO for 33% off the cover price!

 

VO message shirts, tote bags, & bumper stickers

 Meet Your Meat tabling video & veg cooking DVDs  

display prints, booklet holders, & more!

VeganOutreach.org/catalog

Now Is Your Chance! Save Animals, Change the World!

Last week an acquaintance of mine, surprised to find out I was leafleting, told me she received a leaflet somewhere when she was 12 years old (she’s in her mid-20s now) and hasn’t eaten meat since. “It was all because of that,” she told me. “They really work.” —Brianne Donaldson, 4/15/09

Photos: Joe Espinosa (Leslie); Leslie Patterson (Mikael); Jon Camp (Alex, Aaron); Jack Norris (Team Vegan); © iStockphoto.com/Kitch Bain (chick); © iStockphoto.com/Jason Mann (piglet); © iStockphoto.com/Heiko Potthoff (cow)

Team Vegan knew that the biggest hurdle to bringing about a veg world is a lack of money. Following John and Fany’s lead, another group of dedicated individuals have pooled their resources to increase everyone’s ability to make a difference for the animals.

I became a vegetarian and eventually a vegan because of being handed one of your booklets while in college. It changed my life! —BS, 5/10/09

Multiply Your Money These donors, dedicated to maximizing their impact, will double contributions to VO up to $70,000! Your donation is critical, and will directly determine how many new people are reached—and how many new vegetarians there are—in 2010. Please be a meaningful part of this efficient, effective, focused work by having your donation doubled, dollar for dollar, today. Contributions received in November and December are eligible for matching. You can make a secure online donation at VeganOutreach.org/donate or mail your donation to the address on page 2. Thank you!

On 2/9/09, Alex Arbogast (above) and Jon Camp spoke out for the animals at Virginia Commonwealth University, providing copies of Even If You Like Meat to 1,300 students.

In two cases today [at the Galleria Mall in Houston], I overheard a person telling their friends Why Vegan? is what made them go vegetarian. A third person told me she had gotten the booklet earlier in the day, and that she is a vegetarian now. —Eugene Khutoryansky, 5/30/09

About two years ago, your booklets started me down the path to reexamining my food choices. Now I am a vegetarian— thank you! Please know that your booklets do work! —PC, 7/15/09

Your donation = more booklets = more vegetarians = more animals saved.

Despite sub-20° temps, Aaron Ross (above) and Jon Camp handed Even If You Like Meat booklets to 445 students at Wesley College and Delaware State University on 1/16/09.

Your VeganHealth.org web site is needed as much as undercover whistle-blowers in factory farms. —JT, 6/13/09 New Blog!  VO’s cofounder and pres., Jack Norris, RD, has launched a blog to keep people informed of the latest in nutrition news and any updates to the VeganHealth site. Visit JackNorrisRD.com to subscribe today! Fall 2009|Vegan Outreach News  11

The Animal Activist’s Handbook The new book coauthored by Vegan Outreach’s cofounder and executive director, Matt Ball Definitely the best, most compelling, and most fruitful book I’ve ever read for anyone who considers themselves (or would like to become) an animal advocate.

I wish this book had been written when I first got involved in the animal protection movement—it would have made my early years as an animal advocate a lot more effective!

—Nick Cooney, dir., The Humane League of Philadelphia

—Paul Shapiro, sr. dir., HSUS factory farming campaign

If you want to get the most bang for your activism buck, read this book today. This is not feel-good activism, but potent advice to achieve realistic change.

Animal liberation will happen—but it is dependent on optimal advocacy. That’s why every animal rights activist needs to read this book. —Virginia Messina, MPH, RD

—Debra Probert, exec. dir., Vancouver Humane Society

The Animal Activist’s Handbook is a quick read that could inspire its readers to a lifetime of activism in behalf of human and nonhuman animals. —The Huffington Post

The Animal Activist’s Handbook punches way above its weight. Rarely have so few pages contained so much intelligence and good advice. Get it, read it, and act on it. Now. —Peter Singer, author of Animal Liberation

In a way never before attempted, let alone accomplished, Ball and Friedrich provide the reasons, rationale, and tools for a meaningful life. —Compassion Over Killing

The Animal Activist’s Handbook will elevate your activism and forever alter who you are and who you want to be. —Rory Freedman, coauthor of Skinny Bitch

As seasoned activists, Friedrich and Ball have gained the experience and wisdom needed to identify the best strategies for animal advocacy. In addition to practical advice, they give us an inspiring message of hope—a hope grounded on the knowledge that each of us can make a significant difference in the lives of many animals. —Stephen R. Kaufman, MD, chair, The Christian Vegetarian Association This book is not only for those who advocate. Others just wanting to know the ethical and practical case for compassion for all beings will find this a thorough resource that can be read quickly and grasped easily. —Charles Talbert I’ve been deeply changed by this book. Whether you’re beginning or continuing your advocacy journey, your efforts will undoubtably be strengthened by what’s inside. —Ryan Townsend

Bruce Friedrich and Matt Ball are important voices in the animal protection movement. Their book is a straightforward, thoughtful, and practical guide to being the most effective activist you can be for your cause. —Gene Baur, pres. & cofounder, Farm Sanctuary

Order Tod ay!

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The Animal Activist’s Handbook is the book I have been waiting for. Boy do I wish this book had been around years ago!

This is a thoughtful book about a serious topic. But the writing is so engaging and personal that it reads more like a letter from a good friend. It’s an excellent book and a must-read if you care about anything in this world.

This book is simply amazing. It gave me a breath of fresh air regarding animal rights, and really put my mind at peace that we, animal lovers, really ARE making a difference. This book is essential for any vegan, vegetarian, or animal lover!

—A. Bury

—Melanie Sears

I love how the book focuses on EFFECTIVE advocacy the whole way through—not what feels the most cool or satisfying, but what will really help animals in a tangible way.

I love this book so much I carry it in my purse and read paragraphs from it at various times throughout my day. This is how I want to live, and this book is essential to my life.

Thank you so much for writing Handbook! How I wish there was a book like this around years ago. It would have saved me from making many of the mistakes you discuss in the book. There is such a need for this book. I can’t say enough about how helpful it is.

—K. Welsh

—Bonnie Shulman

—NS

—Nettie Rose

AnimalAdvocacyBook.com