Vegan Action
Whitney McVerry
Super Volunteer for The Vegetarian Resource Group
by Amy Burger
If you enjoy the content on The Vegetarian Resource Group's Instagram page (instagram.com/vegetarianresourcegroup), you can thank Whitney McVerry. McVerry also serves as the volunteer coordinator for the organization's annual student scholarship contest, which saw 200 applications in 2024. Unlike other scholarship contests, from which applicants may receive a form letter or no response at all, McVerry ensures that each VRG scholarship applicant gets a personal response from a volunteer who has read their essay submission.
McVerry's involvement with VRG started with her 2012 college internship, during which she worked on a variety of projects, such as gathering every published copy of Vegetarian Journal (now Vegan Journal) for the Tom Regan Animal Rights Archive at North Carolina State University. She says that the internship "has been so impactful in my life," and adds, "I will always continue to help out in any way I can."
In addition to her VRG volunteer work, McVerry stays busy as the mother of vegan five-year-old twins Della and Millie, who she describes as "healthy, energetic, and compassionate." McVerry, who has been vegan for 12 years, and her husband Justin "just assumed" their daughters would be vegan as well. They both "did a lot of research during [her] pregnancy" to ensure that she was meeting her and her babies' dietary needs. She says that VRG's Nutrition Advisor, Reed Mangels, PhD, RD, helped out by providing guidance on nutrient intake, prenatal vitamins, and vegan baby formula brands.
The McVerry family, originally from Maryland, recently relocated to Wilmington, North Carolina, to be closer to family and to the beach. McVerry says of the move: "An added perk has been discovering great vegan food!" Vegans visiting Wilmington can check out the VRG's Restaurant Guide for recommendations: www.vrg.org/restaurant/North_Carolina.php#c20
Raising her daughters keeps her busy. McVerry says, "I love spending days with my family at the beach" and "going for nature scavenger hunts with my daughters." Della and Millie "LOVE helping us table at Vegfests where we represent The VRG!"
Ultimately, McVerry's journey with the VRG that began with a college internship has evolved into her current role as an indispensable volunteer. She serves as a passionate advocate for VRG, a dedicated vegan parent, and a great example of veganism in action.
