The Vegan Outreach Blog

The Vegan Outreach Blog is Moving!

2014-11-12T17:33:00.000-08:00

You may have noticed a silence in activity here since August. This is because we were busy getting our new website ready and moving our blog to VeganOutreach.org.

This will be the last blog post in this location.

All current email subscribers will be automatically subscribed to the new blog. If you subscribe to our blog via a feed reader, the new RSS feed is http://veganoutreach.org/feed/.

In related news, Toni Okamoto, founder of Plant-Based on a Budget, has joined VO as our new Vegan Food & Lifestyle Coordinator!

Toni Okamoto hands out Even If You Like Meat at American River College.

Toni has been with us since August, helping to revamp our website, upgrade our literature, review cookbooks, and set up fundraising dinners.

In addition to vegan food and products, we’ll continue to post on VO’s outreach and other relevant news items.

Thank you for being part of Vegan Outreach, and we hope you like the new blog!

Steve at Stern Grove

2014-08-25T18:03:00.000-07:00

We would like to congratulate and thank Steve Erlsten for all the work he did leafleting at San Francisco's Stern Grove Festival which happened every Sunday from June 22nd through August 25th.

In total, Steve handed out 10,251 booklets to this open-minded crowd!

Steve says:

"I heard from loads of vegans and vegetarians, and ran into a couple of activists!...I got to know a few regular attendees at this concert series, but the crowd was mostly new each week. We should make sure every show in this series is covered going forward."

Here is a run down of the acts and how many leaflets were given out:

Jun 22: Smokey Robinson and Patti Austin - 600
Jun 29: Allen Stone and Yuna -750
Jul 6: San Francisco Symphony - 1000
Jul 13: Funky Meters and Sugar Pie DeSanto - 800
Jul 20: Roberto Roena & Boogaloo Assassins and Vieux Farka Toure -1,100
Jul 27: Rufus Wainwright and Quartet San Francisco - 1,250
Aug 3: Andrew Bird & the Hands of Glory and Todd Sickafoose's Tiny Resistors - 900
Aug 10: Darlene Love and Monophonics - 926
Aug 17: Sergio Mendes and LoCura - 1,375
Aug 24: The Zombies and Vetiver - 1,550

Thank you, Steve and everyone who supports Vegan Outreach to make this work possible!

Advice from a Vegan Cardiologist

2014-08-22T15:44:00.000-07:00

Excerpts from the New York Times, August 6th, 2014, Advice from a Vegan Cardiologist:

Dr. Kim A. Williams, the president-elect of the American College of Cardiology, often sees patients who are overweight and struggling with hypertension, Type 2 diabetes and high cholesterol. One of the things he advises them to do is to change their diets.

Specifically, he tells them to go vegan.

“I recommend a plant-based diet because I know it’s going to lower their blood pressure, improve their insulin sensitivity and decrease their cholesterol,” he said. “And so I recommend it in all those conditions. Some patients are able to do it, and some are not.”

(Photo courtesy of Rush University Medical Center).

HuffPo: 5 Things Holding You Back From Going Full Vegan

2014-08-21T07:13:00.000-07:00

In 5 Things Holding You Back From Going Full Vegan, Kristin Kirkpatrick, M.S., R.D., L.D. explains why cheese, society, your friends and family, your love of cookies and chocolate, and your fear of soy shouldn't stand in the way of becoming vegan. They are each surmountable, some quite easily.

Excerpt:

"Many of the chefs who I have worked in the Midwest with tell me they love the challenge of a vegan request from a customer. That means, don't be afraid to at least ask if you don't see."

Cookbook Review: Vegan Eats World

2014-08-15T19:15:00.000-07:00

Reviewed by Josie Moody, Vegan Outreach's Office Manager

What's one of the best things about being vegan? Testing out new recipes, of course!

I had the perfect opportunity do so using Terry Hope Romero's newest cookbook, Vegan Eats World: 300 International Recipes for Savoring the Planet.

Her previous cookbooks, Veganomicon, Vegan Cookies Invade Your Cookie Jar, and Vegan Cupcakes Take Over The World all have homes in my cookbook library.

This book was user friendly in so many ways. It has easy, readable directions, colorful pictures and a mixture of recipes that left me wondering how one woman could continue to come up with interesting and tasty ways to prepare food.

I flipped through the pages, trying to decide which recipes would, literally, make the cut. Although the book focuses on dishes from around the world, I wanted to choose twists on something familiar. I also didn't want to blow my grocery budget on expensive, obscure ingredients. Luckily, it was easy to do as recipes are categorized based on the time needed to prepare, ingredients, level of difficulty, expense, and more.

See below for the three recipes I chose and how they turned out.

I look forward to using Vegan Eats World again and again as I go on many more excursions, all from the comfort of my own kitchen!

Peruvian Purple Potato Salad

1 1/2 pounds purple potatoes
3 tablespoons aji amarillo paste
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons lime juice
1/2 teaspoon sea salt, or to taste
A few twists of freshly ground pepper
4 scallions, sliced as thinly as possible
3 ripe red tomatoes, core and seeds removed and finely diced
1/2 cup Kalamata olives, pits removed and sliced
1 ripe avocado, diced into 1/2 inch chunks and tossed with 2 teaspoons lime juice
3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh cilantro or parsley

Directions:

1. Peel the potatoes, dice into 1 inch cubes, place in a 3-quart pot, and cover with 3 inches of water. Bring to boil over high heat and simmer for 18-20 minutes or until very tender, then drain.

2. In a mixing bowl whisk together aji amarillo paste, olive oil, lime juice, salt and pepper. Add 1 cup cooked potato chunks and with fork or potato masher, mash the potato into a chunky puree. Add the remaining potatoes, scallions, tomatoes and olives. Use a rubber spatula to fold the potatoes into the dressing.

3. Mound the salad onto a serving platter or into deep bowls and arrange chunks of avocado on top. Sprinkle with cilantro and serve immediately.

Like many recipes, the part that actually took the longest was preparing the items for the dish. After everything was measured out, chopped and whisked, creating the actual salad was almost effortless.

My biggest concern while preparing it was that it would be dry due to the starchiness of the potatoes. This, however was not the case, as the lime-salt-olive oil-aji amarillo blend created the perfect amount of moisture, with a hint of flavor that by no means overwhelmed the dish. I was pleasantly surprised as well with how much the chopped kalamata's added a zesty complement to this side.

A couple of notes: If you cannot find aji amarillo, curry paste (available in most grocery stores) could work as well. This potato salad also tasted great reheated the next day for my lunch. It seemed to absorb more of the flavor, and some leftover peas I tossed in there were a great addition.

Roasted Broccoli with Sage

I love roasted vegetables. However, when ordering out, I often find inconsistency in quality for such a basic dish. Sometimes the vegetables can be bitter, tough, burnt, or dry. Still, I decided to try my hand with Roasted Brocolli with Sage. I'm glad I did.

I believe the single greatest reason that the broccoli turned out so well is Romero's suggestion to not merely sprinkle the vegetable with olive oil, but to hand rub it over each piece of broccoli. The idea of covering my hands in olive oil seemed a bit messy for my taste. Instead I tossed the chopped florets into a gallon sized Ziploc bag, measured out the oil, and massaged the pieces through the bag.

2 pounds broccoli
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 teaspoons rubbed sage or 6 fresh sage leaves, sliced into thin shreds
1 teaspoon sea salt
2 tablespoons lemon juice
A few twists of freshly cracked black pepper

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Slice the broccoli florets away from the stem, and slice in half any big florets (wider than 3 inches).

2. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and pile the florets and stems in the center. Pour the olive oil over the broccoli, then sprinkle with sage and salt. Now use your fingers to thoroughly rub the oil into the broccoli florets and stems, making sure to evenly coat the stems and get some oil in between the crevices of the florets.

3. Spread the broccoli in a single layer on the baking sheet and roast for 20-26 minutes, turning broccoli occasionally with long-handled tongs. Broccoli stems should be tender and the flower buds gently browned. Watch carefully and don't let the broccoli burn, or the tops of the florets may dry out and become bitter. Remove the baking pan from the oven, sprinkle the broccoli with lemon juice and black pepper, and toss thoroughly. Serve hot or at room temperature.

Sour Dilly Cream

I often forget how simple it is to create amazing vegan sauces and dips. I really like using recipes that I can envision tweaking as an accompaniment to another dish. I had yet to try Just Mayo, and the Sour Dilly Cream gave me an opportunity to do just that.

Using only five ingredients, (Romero also gives you the option of replacing the mayo and yogurt with vegan sour cream), it doesn't get much easier than this, especially if you buy minced garlic in the jar like I do. Although it suggests using a food processor, you can readily create the proper mixture with a cereal bowl and fork or whisk.

3/4 cup plain soy yogurt
1/4 cup thick vegan mayonnaise
1 clove garlic, minced
Pinch of sea salt
3 tablespoons finely chopped dill

Directions: In a food processor or in a large measuring cup using an immersion blender, pulse together the yogurt, mayonnaise, garlic and salt until smooth. Pulse in the dill a few times. Keep chilled until ready to serve.

I could easily see replacing the dill in this recipe with Sriracha sauce, pepper flakes, or chopped jalapeno if you're looking for something spicy. If you do have a food processor, another option could be replacing the dill with fresh chopped cilantro. There are endless possibilities!

From Vegan Eats World by Terry Hope Romero. Reprinted with permission from Da Capo Lifelong, © 2014

Boston Marathoner, Pilot, Amputee....and Vegan!

2014-08-07T12:09:00.001-07:00

Beyond Meat's Fan Spotlight focuses on Andre Slay, a Boston Marathoner, pilot, amputee, and vegan!

In this short video, he shares his story of how being vegan has contributed to his success.

If the video doesn't play for you, try this link:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=elBWIbW0fIM

Kids With Pets More Likely to Avoid Meat

2014-08-01T11:47:00.002-07:00

From Fox News, July 28, 2014: Kids With Pets More Likely to Avoid Eating Meat

Excerpt:

Kids who spend time cuddling up with Fido or Fluffy are more likely to turn their noses up at meat later in life, a new study suggests.

"For these individuals [who get attached to their pets as kids], the love they feel toward their childhood pet(s) was likely so strong that they have a hard time not seeing some aspect of their companion animal in the meat that they wish to avoid," Rothgerber added.

Thanks, Paul!

Masculinity Means Protecting the Planet

2014-07-24T13:55:00.000-07:00

July 21st NPR story: For These Vegans, Masculinity Means Protecting The Planet

Excerpts:

"Katcher thinks in an era of climate change and environmental destruction, masculinity should be reframed as protecting the planet, not dominating it."

"There's nothing more cowardly to me than taking advantage of something that's defenseless."

Why Kassy Became a Vegan Outreach Activist

2014-07-22T08:24:00.000-07:00

Kate, Kassy, Sarah, and Lesley at Towson University

OneGreenPlanet has posted an inspiring article by Kassy Ortega, Vegan Outreach's Delmarva Outreach Coordinator, Why I Became a Vegan Outreach Activist.

Excerpt:

"I am grateful that I can regularly speak one-on-one with the individuals about the plight of farmed animals. I frequently see the direct results of our work as well. Whether it’s running into a vegetarian who cites our literature as their foray into veg eating, overhearing “I’m never eating meat again!” several times each day, or seeing text message requests for our “Guide To Cruelty Free Eating” pour in, I’m constantly reminded that I’m making a difference, and the results keep me motivated to expand my impact for animals even more."

A Healthy Chocolate Milkshake!

2014-07-09T13:40:00.002-07:00

You don't often see the words "healthy" and "milkshake" used in the same sentence. However, as Dr. Michael Greger shows us in his video, Healthy Chocolate Milkshakes, it is possible – and delicious!

It only requires four ingredients and you can transform it from a milkshake to hot cocoa and chocolate pudding, all with health benefits!

Vegetarians Halve Carbon Emissions from Food

2014-07-08T16:34:00.001-07:00

A recent study shows that if you stop eating meat, you can reduce your food-related carbon footprint by more than fifty percent.

In a study of the real diets of 50,000 people, Peter Scarborough, professor at the University of Oxford, found that, "In general there is a clear and strong trend with reduced greenhouse gas emissions in diets that contain less meat."

Although food was not the biggest source of emissions, it was where people could make the biggest and most cost-effective savings, by wasting less food and eating less meat.

Tofurky Talking

2014-07-02T17:00:00.001-07:00

Talking Tofurky has posted their interview with Jon Camp, Vegan Outreach's Executive Vice President: The Power of One: Talking Tofurky with 1,000,000 booklet man, Jon Camp.

Excerpt:

When I first started leafleting, a lot of individuals didn’t know what the word “vegan” meant. Now, pretty much everyone has a friend, family member, or significant other who is vegan. I also get a lot less resistance to my work. It’s really exciting to see societal change taking place over just a decade. The times are definitely a changin.’

Thank You!

2014-07-01T13:00:00.000-07:00

Thank you to all of the generous donors and dedicated Team members who made Team Vegan 2014 such a success!

Together we raised $118,702, which will be doubled to $237,404 for spreading vegan living and compassion for animals!

These funds will ensure we continue to reach thousands more students each day this fall semester and into the future.

Thank you so much for your dedication to ending the exploitation of farmed animals.

Team Vegan members Will, Maya, and Tyler.

Last Chance to Save Twice as Many Animals!

2014-06-28T13:00:00.000-07:00

“It really is basic: The more people who receive a booklet, the more lives are saved.” —MS

Team Vegan is having an amazing finish, but we still need you to help us reach our goal!

Monday, June 30 is the last day to double the number of animals you spare from factory farming.

Please contribute today!

“[B]eing vegan is not only the most efficient way to be full-body strong, it’s also the most humane; everyone wins.”
—David Carter [right], NFL defensive lineman

Yuri Mitzkewich: Spring 2014

2014-06-26T13:00:00.000-07:00

Yuri Mitzkewich, one of Vegan Outreach’s most dedicated Adopt a College volunteers, has traveled to 18 different schools this semester, handing out over 15,000 booklets!

Since the fall of 2010, Yuri has placed VO booklets into the hands of more than 55,000 people!

Yuri hands out VO booklets at the Miami Dade College Wolfson Campus, where Crystal Silva and Janay Laing joined him for their first time leafleting on 3/12/14, and the three reached 1,200 students – a new one-day record for the campus!

On 4/8/14, Yuri, Janay Laing, and Linda Bower set a new one-day record for Broward College, reaching more than 1,550 students! Yuri reports:

“Wonderful team outreach today down in South Florida! Met several vegetarians and vegans there; also got several shout-outs from students and staff giving us props for coming out. [Below] is a photo of Taylor, who told Janay she went vegan after getting a Compassionate Choices booklet last semester at BC. She says she then wrote a paper on veganism for her class and earned an A+ from her teacher, and even inspired her girlfriend to go vegan! Linda talked with her awhile too, and also said how thankful and excited she was seeing us back on campus.

Taylor received a Compassionate Choices booklet
on campus last semester and went vegan as a result!

“I also met a student named Pamela, who came walking back to talk after taking her Your Choice. She asked if the booklet’s purpose was to promote animal welfare improvements or if we were for ending the use of animals for food for good. I told her I was for the second; but also said how, for many, this is a transition and it’s perfectly acceptable to work towards it step by step. She left saying how she agreed with what I’d said, and was going to begin right away by not eating chicken or eggs anymore. A very positive interaction I’m very sure will lead to more changes for her in the future.

“Yet another highlight was talking to Trina, who was attending school here though originally hailing from St. Thomas. She virtually exploded with excitement, asking me to explain exactly what our message was while going through her leaflet. She said she’d been interested in going vegan in the past, though had trouble because of discouragement by friends and family. She got the Your Choice and some other resources, and in the end left saying she was done eating animals!”

Through June 30, your donations to Vegan Outreach will create twice as many new vegetarians and spare twice as many farmed animals:

Please click here to visit Yuri’s Team Vegan page and have your donation doubled today!

Congratulations, Joe!

2014-06-25T07:45:00.000-07:00

We just wanted to update you that Joe Espinosa succeeded in breaking his 13-hour leafleting record on Tuesday by leafleting the DePaul University Loop Campus for over 14 hours straight!

Joe Espinosa hands out Even If You Like Meat at DePaul University in Chicago.

Congratulations, Joe – and thank you for all you do for the animals!

Good Luck, Joe!

2014-06-22T13:00:00.000-07:00

Joe Espinosa, the most prolific volunteer leafleter of spring 2014, has traveled to 19 different campuses this semester, reaching more than 25,000 students!

For over 15 years, Joe has consistently devoted his days off from working as a full-time social worker to reaching more people with Vegan Outreach booklets. Since the fall 2003 launch of VO’s Adopt a College program, Joe has placed booklets into the hands of over 488,000 individuals!

Joe Espinosa braves a 12°F January morning in Chicago to reach students at DePaul University.

“As far as I know, I am the leafleter with the longest history amongst those who leaflet regularly. I began leafleting regularly in January of 1998, after having learned the art and science from Jack Norris. Over 15 years later, I still do it each and every week with the same vigor and enthusiasm as when I was 26 years old. Over that time, I have developed a stamina for the work, 8–10 hour leafleting outings are not uncommon. To raise funds for Vegan Outreach’s Team Vegan, I am going to leaflet in Chicago on Tuesday, 6/24/14 – my last outing as a 42-year-old – for 14 hours, 1 hour longer than I ever have gone before.

“Please support us in this urgent and important work for animals. Thanks!”

John Jungenberg: Spring 2014

2014-06-20T13:00:00.000-07:00

John Jungenberg, an 18-year-old activist and one of the Adopt a College program’s most dedicated volunteers, has traveled to 77 different campuses this semester, directly handing Vegan Outreach booklets to over 18,000 students!

Since the fall of 2012, John has reached more than 43,000 individuals!

John: “I handed out 73 leaflets in a little less than 10 minutes this afternoon at Jon Camp’s high school alma mater! The students here are really awesome! Everyone was very nice and seemed enthusiastic to help animals.”

On 2/24/14, John teamed with Rachel Shippee and Patti Rogers-Engelby to reach 2,150 students at the University of Iowa, and also reached another 100 students at Iowa City West High School:

“Very receptive school! Highlight was meeting this one really cool vegan student who follows Vegan Outreach on Facebook and knows of the awesome [AAC activist] Andrew Kirschner! Fantastic day!”

On 4/29/14, Paul Picklesimer and John set a new one-day record at the College of Lake County, handing out 1,209 booklets:

“Amazing day at CLC today! Paul and I got there early and it definitely paid off! It was awesome to have him there to help. We made a great team: while one of us got into a conversation with someone about going veg, the other one leafleted to the passersby! The interactions today were fantastic – we talked with SO many people interested in going veg.”

Paul Picklesimer at CLC.

Vegan student at Iowa City West High School.

To support VO's Adopt a College leafleting program, please have your donation doubled today – the Team Vegan matching opportunity ends June 30!

Tips From A Leafleting Pro

2014-06-19T15:21:00.001-07:00

A one-man leafleting machine, Vegan Outreach’s own Vic Sjodin has handed out over 720,000 leaflets since 2008. How did Vic get interested in leafleting? By receiving a leaflet himself!

In his interview with VegFund’s Rachel Curit, Vic shares tips on how to be a more effective leafleter and animal advocate.

For People Who Love Animals and Numbers

2014-06-17T12:59:00.001-07:00

Harish Sethu of Counting Animals has a most engaging interview with Erin O'Sullivan online now at Animal Voices Radio.

Well worth the listen for all animal advocates!

You can listen online or download to your iPod.

Vegetarian Butcher and Vegan Grilled Cheese

2014-06-16T17:28:00.001-07:00

YamChops Vegetarian Butcher Opens In Toronto

Yep, you read that correctly. What exactly then, is a butcher shop without a Butcher?

YamChops creates plant-based versions of traditional butcher shop offerings, as explained in Meet the meat-free options at Toronto's first vegetarian butcher shop.

"David Alexander, executive director of the Toronto Vegetarian Association explains, 'Vegetarian butcher shops are a novel concept that aligns with two rising food trends — the spread of boutique food shops and great tasting meatless alternatives. By tying the two together, YamChops should be able to reach beyond vegetarians and vegans to flexitarians and anyone else who enjoys meatless meals.'"

(Thanks, Paul!)

Vegan Grilled Cheese Recipe from Vegan.com

Can't make it to Toronto to sample vegan versions of your favorite food? Luckily you only need to trek as far as your kitchen to make this easy and delicious Vegan Grilled Cheese recipe, compliments of Vegan.com.

Karen James: Spring 2014

2014-06-13T13:00:00.000-07:00

Karen James at SUNY Old Westbury.

VO Mid-Atlantic Outreach Coordinator, Karen James, has leafleted 30 campuses this semester, reaching more than 19,000 students with Vegan Outreach booklets!

Since the spring of 2010, Karen has gotten booklets into the hands of over 134,000 individuals!

On 2/18/14, Karen leafleted two community colleges and reached more than 800 students:  

“Cold day, so not a lot of conversations at Housatonic CC, but I met Joyce, who received a Compassionate Choices from me last year and went vegetarian. We discussed dairy, I gave her a Guide to Cruelty-Free Eating, and she is going to cut out milk, and work on reducing cheese by trying some of the vegan options I pointed out! Also, Matt remembered me from last semester; he cut out pork and red meat altogether, and has reduced eating fish and chicken to 2x a week! Gave him a Guide, and again, pointed out alternatives and congratulated him on his efforts!

  “Students were rushing by in the cold at Norwalk CC, but I met Jaime, who said he received a booklet a year ago and went vegan! He’s been doing good with the change and feels much better, healthier, and lost 15 pounds that he had difficulty losing before going vegan!”

On 3/4/14, Karen reached 750 students at Central Connecticut State:

“Chilly, but busy. I met Ariel, who wants to go vegan after reading the Even If You Like Meat. She thought it was horrible how the animals are treated so cruelly. I gave her a Guide. Jeff said he got a booklet from me last semester and stopped eating all meat! He is now working on eliminating dairy and eggs, heading toward vegan! I also gave him a Guide.

“ONWARD!!!”

Help push the spread of veganism onward: Click here to have your donation doubled today!

USDA Not Enforcing Humane Slaughter Act

2014-06-12T11:23:00.000-07:00

In 2013, the USDA's Office of the Inspector General released a report in which it accused the food safety division of not enforcing the Humane Methods of Slaughter Act, and not even understanding what is legally required to be in compliance with the act. One meat plant in North Carolina has had several horrifying, repeat violations which should result in criminal charges.

"My organization is calling on USDA to refer egregious cruelty to federal prosecutors, as the agency is statutorily empowered to do, and also to withdraw federal grants of inspection from repeat violators," writes Bruce Friedrich, director of policy and advocacy at Farm Sanctuary. "USDA should start with this North Carolina plant, and unless it does, the agency should not be believed when it claims to take its humane slaughter mandate seriously."

Read Friedrich's full response to the report here.

Matt Corriveau: Spring 2014

2014-06-10T13:00:00.000-07:00

Matt Corriveau.

Vegan Outreach intern Matt Corriveau has hit 67 different schools this semester, handing booklets to more than 19,000 students!

On 2/20/14, Matt and VO Outreach Coordinator Chris Guinn handed out over 1,600 Your Choice booklets at Kent State University. Chris reports:

“Who remembers the monsoon scene from Jumanji? That was our leafleting weather today at Kent State; but nevertheless, we still had a pretty big day! Matt had about a half-dozen conversations with students curious about going veg and got out a few Guide to Cruelty-Free Eating booklets. I had a girl ask me if our ‘Text for a Guide’ was legit, and if she’d have to pay; it was cute, I was like, ‘Nah, of course not!’ and gave her one of the Guides in my hand. I’ve heard through the grapevine that we got several text-for-Guide requests in from Kent already this afternoon – pumped about that!

“Our outreach for the day didn’t stop at Kent either. I had a guy in the locker room at the gym ask me about my Vega protein, which was cool; I left him a Guide and a Your Choice, which I keep in my gym bag now. Matt also spoke with several people in the sauna about veg eating. Can’t stop our outreach! BOOM!”

Matt, Chris, and first-time leafleter Karen Blanco – who helped out before and in between her final exams! – reached 1,510 students at the Rochester Institute of Technology on 5/12/14. Santiago (above) let them know he got a booklet from Chris on campus last semester and has been vegetarian ever since!

Chris also reports: “I met a vegan named Tony, who was super psyched to see me leafleting. I asked if he was part of a veg club and he told me that, to his knowledge, there wasn’t one at Kent State. I told him to email me for some handy resources on starting one and getting active on campus – he was interested!”

You can inspire more students like Santiago to go veg and more vegans like Tony to get active for animals by supporting VO’s Adopt a College program: Click here to donate to Team Vegan!

Chelsea Collins: Spring 2014

2014-06-08T13:00:00.000-07:00

Chelsea Collins.

VO Australia Outreach Coordinator, Chelsea Collins, has traveled to 34 different campuses this semester, reaching more than 26,000 students with Vegan Outreach booklets!

On 3/21/14, Chelsea had help from Melissa Kilkelly, and together they reached 1,150 students at Monash University in Caulfield, Victoria:

“Something cool happened: two first-year students came up to me to ask if they could take my photo for their photojournalism class! I obliged and showed them which angle to get for the perfect ‘leafleting pass’ photo, and they were very appreciative. I offered to help them get an article into their student newspaper, which excited them and we exchanged details. I let them know that I was happy to help them out with material for AR pieces any time during their uni days, or later in their careers. They loved it, and I hope they do write a piece!

“At lunchtime, I was joined by the lovely Melissa, a first-time leafleter. She wrote: ‘I actually had a sore jaw from smiling so much after handing booklets out for 2 hours! I had a great first experience leafleting. I’m very much looking forward to helping out again!!!’”

Photojournalism students Ellyse and Georgia.

First-time leafleter Melissa Kilkelly.

Chelsea handed out 900 Australian Your Choice booklets at the University of Wollongong in New South Wales on 3/28/14:

“Though the weather wasn’t great, I had a really wonderful day with some great interactions. It was a big success and I can’t wait to come back here next time.

“My absolute highlight of the day was meeting Salim, who came back after taking a booklet and offered to help me leaflet – he even talked his non-veg friend Alexandra into helping him! They took a pack of 50 and went to hand them out at the law building. He came back later on and took another pack of 50 to hand out after his next class. Salim also told me about a café on campus that serves vegetarian and vegan options. I’m looking forward to catching up with Salim next time I am in ‘the gong.’ I took his picture with the booklet, and with his big smile and enthusiasm, I know he will be a great friend to the animals in the future by inspiring many people to go veg!

“I celebrated my fruitful day by hitting probably the best vegan Asian restaurant in Australia – Au Lac Royal Vegetarian Cuisine – for a late lunch. I had the pho soup with soy chicken and tofu. It was incredible and filling!”

Salim Leon, a UOW student who went vegan in February, got a booklet from Chelsea and then came back to help leaflet!

Wig got one of the 1,670 booklets Chelsea handed out at Monash University in Clayton on 3/20/14; she’s vegan and was excited to see VO on campus!

You can help Chelsea raise funds for VO’s Adopt a College program by visiting her Team Vegan page here. If you make a donation, she promises to buy you a coffee next time you see each other!