1) LETTER FROM THE EDITOR
Hello Everyone,
As we slide into July, we gear up for gatherings with family and friends to
celebrate festivities like the 4th of July. We enjoy our backyard barbecues
and picnics just as much as everyone else, and even more in some cases. We
get to share delicious vegan dishes like Spicy Quinoa & Black Bean Burgers,
Beet and Avocado Deviled "Eggs," and even Grilled Peaches with Ginger Coconut
Caramel with our loved ones. We may even manage to convert a few folks. Either
way we know that we are having the best celebration possible, because we are
consuming the delicious and most nutritious foods that Mother Nature has to
offer.
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2) VISIT VRG AT THESE OUTREACH BOOTHS
- Animal Rights Conference
Washington, DC
July 30-August 2, 2015
- Vegan SoulFest
Baltimore, MD
Saturday, Sept. 19, 2015
- VRG Benefit Day at Great Sage
Clarksville, MD
September 27, 2015
- DC VegFest
Washington, DC
October 3, 2015
- Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics
Nashville, TN
October 3-6, 2015
- VRG Vegan Restaurant Gathering
Nashville, TN
October 4, 2015
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4) A BIG THANK YOU TO OUR AMAZING VRG VOLUNTEERS
We would like to thank the following volunteers for their amazing work this
month on VRG's Vegetarian Restaurant Guide, Outreach Booths and other projects:
- Matt Baker, R.N.
- Shani Stewart
- Laura McGuiness
- Anne Porterfield Custer
- Ivy Grob
- Whitney Blomquist
- Elsa Spencer
- Carter Merrick
- Colin Hickey-Schiappa
- Bella Wilson
- Navaal Mahdi
- Myrial Holbrook
- Lily Donofrio
- Eric Sharer, MPH, RD, LDN
- Reed Mangels, Ph.D., R.D.
You can volunteer for The Vegetarian Resource Group at our office located
in Baltimore, MD, local outreach events or even remotely using your computer
at home. If you would like to volunteer, please contact Nina at [email protected].
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5) CHARLES VILLAGE FESTIVAL BY IVY GROB
By Ivy Grob
With my fellow VRG staff, interns, and volunteers, I participated in my first
outreach booth during the Charles Village Festival, an annual event located
in the Wyman Park Dell in Baltimore, Maryland. It was my first look at how
an outreach booth operates and truly my first look at Baltimore. I arrived
only a week ago from Florida in order to intern with the VRG for the majority
of the summer. I first fell in love with the scenery of Baltimore during my
drive in, but after working my first booth I can now say I'm in love with
the people and the atmosphere. The majority of people I spoke with were so
welcoming and friendly, and surprised when I told them that I thought Baltimore
was a big city. During the festival, I met a number of people who were already
vegetarian and vegan and also a few who were transitioning. It was great to
share some tips back and forth about cooking and food choices, and to see
that Baltimore has a great community of people who share my beliefs. One woman
came up to the booth and said, "I'm a new vegan, show me your absolute favorite
cookbook!
The most satisfying experience, though, was to share pamphlets and information
to those who said they were not vegetarian, and to have the information be
well received. This was truly the opportunity to explain why vegetarianism
and veganism is necessary. I was able to share about animal rights and the
environmental problems that comes from consuming meat and animal products.
Some information was better received than others, but at least the information
was presented for the arguers to think about. As I continue in my internship,
I hope to continue to spread the message of vegetarianism and veganism at
any other outreach booths to whomever I can.
To volunteer at Vegetarian Resource Group booths, contact Nina at [email protected]
To support Vegetarian education, donate at
[ http://www.vrg.org/member/donate_buttons.php ]
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6) CHARLES VILLAGE FESTIVAL BOOTH BY NAVAAL MAHDI
By Navaal Mahdi
The 2015 19th Annual Charles Village Festival took place on May 30 and May
31 at Wyman Park Dell in Baltimore, Maryland. On these two beautiful warm
days, the people of Baltimore and the surrounding areas came together to visit
multiple craft and food vendors, play games, listen to some very talented
live musicians, and participate in a 5K race as well as the annual Charles
Village Garden Walk. The VRG was lucky enough to set up an outreach booth
during the festival to talk to the variety of people attending.
When I helped at our booth on Saturday, May 30th, we had visitors who were
vegetarian and non-vegetarian, and surprisingly, many of the non-vegetarians
who visited us shared that they were in the process of becoming vegetarian
or vegan. Folks walking down the pathway that had the booths of different
non-profits on either side of it were drawn in by the variety of literature
we had at our table, from books starting at $5 to free coloring books and
pamphlets about our cause. Many were especially interested in the copies of
the Vegetarian Journal that we had on display, and upon learning that there
were delicious recipes in each issue, they would ask for their own copyright.
Some visitors were kind enough to share their stories with us; one man explained
to Matt, who is a regular volunteer at the VRG, and I that he was really close
to being vegan, but found it too difficult to give up eggs for breakfast.
Matt and I shared with him some other great vegan breakfasts, like banana
pancakes or granola, and we also gave him the idea to mix flax seeds and water
to achieve an egg-like consistency for baked goods and such. Another woman
wanted to know ways to get protein while being a vegan, so we handed her a
copy of the "My Vegan Plate" pamphlet we had available, which helpfully highlights
sources of calcium and protein.
Charles Village Festival was a great place to finish off my booth-working
experience as an intern. It was heartwarming to hear the kind comments that
people gave us about the information we provided, and it was even better to
hear that non-vegetarians would make an active effort to incorporate more
fruits and vegetables in their diet. I hope to continue to help the VRG at
outreach booths as a volunteer after I finish my internship!
My Vegan Plate Handout: [
http://www.vrg.org/nutshell/MyVeganPlate.pdf ]
To volunteer at VRG outreach booths, please contact Nina at [email protected]
To support VRG outreach, please donate at
[ http://www.vrg.org/donate ]
To join The Vegetarian Resource Group, please go to
[ http://www.vrg.org/member/2013sv.php ]
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7) NATIVE FOODS CAFÉ BY IVY GROB
By Ivy Grob
Recently, I had the opportunity to travel to the nation's capital, and I dedicated
the day to becoming a true tourist. When I stepped out of the metro at the
Smithsonian station, I knew I had the whole day ahead of me to submerse myself
in the history that is present in Washington DC. I headed first in the direction
of the Lincoln Memorial, stopping along the way to see the Washington Monument
and the World War II Memorial. After saying hi to Honest Abe, I turned around
and briefly stopped to see the White House, then continued on the way to the
Smithsonian museums. This alone took over three hours and lots of walking
(good thing I wore comfy shoes!). So I decided to take a break and head over
to Native Foods Café for lunch. I heard about this all-vegan chain restaurant
from VRG coordinator Debra Wasserman and I knew I had to try it while I was
in town. What's even better than an all-vegan restaurant? An all vegan restaurant
that's only a ten minute walk from the Air and Space Museum!
When I arrived I was happy to see the colorful décor and was impressed that
the employee explained to me that the menu was 100% vegan (he actually said
no meat, fish, dairy or honey) when I told him this was my first time eating
there. I ordered the Chicken, Bacon and Avo Club with Seasoned Fries, a Watermelon
Fresca, and an Oatmeal Crème Pie.
The food was served very fast and I immediately dug in. The Chicken, Bacon
and Avo Club was full of zesty flavor from the chipotle sauce and the meat
substitutes were hearty and crispy. This sandwich paired with the Seasoned
Fries quickly filled me up, and washing it down with the Watermelon Fresca
was a fresh and sweet accompaniment. I didn't save any room for dessert so
I took my Oatmeal Crème Pie with me to go and ate it later on after I returned
home to Baltimore. This was the true cherry on top for the whole meal. The
cookie itself is huge, and reminiscent of the ones I used to eat as a child.
I ate the whole thing at once and didn't even find myself regretting it; it
was that good.
If you ever find yourself being a tourist in DC, give Native Foods Café a
try. Whether you are vegan, vegetarian, or just looking for something new
to try, they are a fast and easy option conveniently located nearby to all
of the tourist destinations.
For information on more places to eat, see
[ http://www.vrg.org/restaurant/index.php ]
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8) REFLECTION ON INTERNSHIP AT THE VRG BY MYRIAL HOLBROOK
By Myrial Holbrook
My time in Baltimore at The VRG has been an amazing experience - I've observed
and taken part in a non-profit organization and a broader movement, enhanced
my nutritional knowledge, and renewed my passion for vegetarianism. I've only
been here for three weeks, but the VRG has expanded my horizons professionally
and personally.
I started out at the outreach booth at the Baltimore Veg Fest. With that experience,
I was already amazed by the number of vegetarians and vegans and their enthusiasm
for the cause. I had always been the minority - a vegetarian in mostly-omnivorous
Columbus, Ohio. For the first time, I felt that I had become a part of something
bigger than my own personal choice to become a vegetarian - I had become part
of the movement.
The Veg Fest was a great first experience for my internship with The VRG,
but it was only the beginning. On my first office day, Charles led me around
the office, a small but mighty powerhouse of the health, nutrition, and ethics
that support the veg lifestyle. That day, we were also visited by the University
of Maryland dietetic interns. I have never met with a dietitian, so this experience
was particularly enlightening. We discussed the ethical dilemmas that a dietitian
faces in both corporate and counsel settings, possible vegan meal plans, and
the changing needs of clientele. I realized how important it is to make nutritional
expertise accessible to the public, for so few people actually take this initiative
in their diet planning, even when they really need to.
After the dietetic interns left, I began my work as an intern in earnest.
I wrote blog posts and articles on vegan hotspots in my hometown, Columbus,
reviews on restaurants here in Baltimore, Veggie Bits on vegan products (free
samples here at The VRG are a fabulous perk of the work), my experience and
diet as a vegetarian athlete, research into vegan labeling at supermarkets,
the new black bean burger at Wendy's, and vegan options at Disney World. I
learned to be skeptical about nutritional information, especially in terms
of product verification. In my pursuit of information about the new black
bean burger at Wendy's, for example, I realized how much probing and investigation
this kind of nutritional research requires. I called and e-mailed customer
service, press representatives, nutritionists, and corporate authorities of
Wendy's and still could not obtain the exact ingredients of the burger to
confirm or deny the burger's classification as vegan. I learned how nebulous
the definitions of vegan and vegetarian can be depending on the person or
corporation, and how you must examine every product carefully to determine
if it is suitable for your particular dietary preferences and needs. Before
my internship I trusted labels and company statements. Now, however, I realize
how important it is to do your own research and confirmation.
In addition to writing articles, I also did design work at The VRG. As editor-in-chief
of my high school newspaper, I have some experience with and greatly enjoy
page layout design. I was able to put my skills to use in the design of a
postcard for The VRG that will be distributed at future booth events. I also
did some HTML coding and graphic design for a picnics landing page on The
VRG website. This work helped me to understand what a non-profit organization
must prioritize on paper and online in terms of vision and message. For example,
I went through many versions of the postcard in order to bring continuity
and consistency to both sides of the postcard. I also had to develop an effective
categorization system for the picnics landing page. Through these projects
my focus expanded from novice design to a professional awareness. Debra and
Samantha, with their expertise in design, helped me to gain this professional
awareness through their careful attention to detail and their helpful edits.
My projects during my internship at The VRG expanded my professional focus,
but perhaps the most important aspect of my internship was the networking.
Months before my internship even started, Charles was emailing me contacts
of present and past interns, possible future professors for me to meet with
when I go to Princeton next year, Ohio dietitians, people who shared my language
or international interests in Spanish and Chinese, and other figures in the
movement. Networking with these amazing people helped me to start thinking
about my future path as a vegetarian, a college student, and an instrument
of change. Once I arrived at The VRG, I continued to meet wonderful people.
I met a holocaust survivor who became an animal rights activist, owners of
local restaurants and bakeries, vegans and vegetarians aspiring to bring their
lifestyle to kids and retirement homes through personal projects....Meeting
these wonderful people was amazing, but I am especially grateful for my connections
with The VRG staff--Charles informed me of the factors and motivations in
movements and non-profits; Debra conversed with me about design and her experiences
in international relations and Spanish; Samantha helped me with my professional
designs and gave me delicious samples to try for Veggie Bits; Nina represented
a great example of how to conduct outreach for a non-profit and was always
willing to provide recommendations for eclectic events in Baltimore; the other
interns were accepting and diverse, and I learned so much from our conversations
about our experiences with vegetarianism and The VRG. These connections have
widened my perspective of the movement and renewed my passion for spreading
the vegetarian lifestyle. Through my experience at The VRG, I am thoroughly
equipped to bring back what I have learned to my friends and family. Perhaps
the knowledge that I share with them will have enough of an impact to finally
persuade them to make the switch to vegetarianism and advance the movement.
My experience here at The VRG has been absolutely phenomenal. My only complaint
is that it has been too short - three weeks have flown by and I'm ready to continue
here. Although I can't stay in Baltimore, I will continue my work for the
movement. For me, this internship is only the beginning of my commitment to
The VRG and its mission.
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9) MY INTERNING EXPERIENCE AT VRG BY NAVAAL MAHDI
By Navaal Mahdi
Interning at The VRG has been one of the best life experiences I've had thus
far because I've been able to learn more about one of my passions. Coming
into this internship, I thought myself knowledgeable about vegetarianism considering
that I had spent countless hours researching about vegetarianism before finally
becoming vegan some months ago. However, I was pleasantly surprised to find
that there's always been something new to learn in the VRG office.
As a writer, I can ask for nothing more than for someone to give me constructive
criticism about my pieces because I love submitting my best work. At The VRG,
I've been able to dabble in writing about a variety of topics, from creating
vegan recipes to reviewing vegan products, and I've even been able to give
some advice to teens along the way. What's even better is that I've been able
to interact with non-vegetarians at outreach booths in a professional environment,
which means that I have been able to help people learn more about the ethical
and health reasons that explain why many vegetarians choose not to eat meat
and animal products. Together, both of these experiences have made me more
passionate about being vegan, and after working with an organization that
helps to spread awareness to so many people around the world about animal
cruelty as well as healthy eating, I know that I will always try to do the
same in my life.
I came into The VRG wanting to learn how to be firm in my beliefs regarding
veganism, and I'm leaving having gained that skill. When someone asks me why
I choose to be vegan, I now know how to confidently respond. What's even better
is that though I've gained so much knowledge here, I know that there's still
a lot out there that I need to learn. I can't wait to continue to learn about
my passions because my work with The VRG has taught me that if you keep exploring
and advocating for what you love, you'll finally find out your calling. I
want to make a positive change in the world, and I'm so motivated to do that
Contact The Vegetarian Resource Group if you would like to intern in Baltimore
or long distance. You can see the work of past interns at:
[ http://www.vrg.org/student/index.php ]
.
If you would like to support internships,
you can donate at
[ http://www.vrg.org/donate ]
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10) WELCOME TO THE HEALTHY AGING RESEARCH STUDY
Presented as a cooperative project of Benedictine University & Fairleigh Dickinson
If you are between the ages of 45 and 80, please click on the following links
to complete our survey:
The goal of this study is to investigate how an individual's dietary and lifestyle
choices affect wellness, including hormonal/sexual functioning throughout
the middle and later years.
Your responses to this survey are entirely anonymous and will only take about
25 minutes to complete.
Thank you for volunteering to participate in our study!
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11) NEW VEGAN TOUR - USA'S PACIFIC NORTHWEST
Otis Beanery and Vegan Fusion have launched a new vegan culinary and sightseeing
tour in the Pacific North-West for fall 2015. The package tour will combine
cooking classes and encounters with food businesses with scenic attractions
over 18 days from Portland to San Francisco.
"We think the time is right to offer something in this niche," said Vegan
Fusion principal Mark Reinfeld. "Travel is increasingly segmented, so we wanted
to create something that is exclusively focussed on creating a fabulous and
hassle-free experience for vegans. Alan is a student of my Vegan Fusion training
courses, and when he came to me with with this concept I knew he had something."
Alan Whykes of Australian-based culinary school Otis Beanery said a lot of
work had gone into researching the tour. "Portland (Oregon) and San Francisco
are ranked number 3 and 4 in (vegan & vegetarian restaurant website) Happy
Cow's top 10 vegan cities of the world, so they were a natural fit for the
backbone of the tour," he said. Beyond that, he added, it was a matter of
doing mountains of research to identify interesting activities to flesh out
the program.
"We want our guests to get to know the local foods and the people involved
with various aspects of the food industry. Hence the package is an entire
food experience, from hands-on training with top chefs to farm and winery
visits to produce markets and co-operatives to quality restaurant dining,"
Whykes said. "And as a grand finale we finish at the 16th World Veg Festival
in San Francisco."
The sightseeing portions of the tour include exploring inner Portland by bicycle,
a day in the Columbia Gorge, a river-mouth cruise at Astoria, Oregon coast
scenery, Crater Lake and Redwoods National Parks and San Francisco.
The tour is commencing with a small group in 2015, with a view to expanding
in the near future. "We'll probably always stay reasonably small, to keep
the focus on quality," said Whykes. "Nevertheless we can offer more dates,
and we are also doing some background work on an Italy-Slovenia vegan culinary
tour that promises to be very interesting indeed. Beyond that, we'll be guided
by feedback from our clients about what kind of vegan travel experiences they
are looking for."
Further information on the tours can found through:
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12) BECOME A MONTHLY DONOR FOR VRG
The Vegetarian Resource Group greatly appreciates the support given by our
monthly donors. You can join our monthly giving group with a minimum gift
of just $10 a month by going to www.vrg.org/donate. You will be part of a
network of givers who support our outreach efforts on an ongoing basis. These
donations allow us to continue vegan education in a wide variety of venues
including schools, doctor and dietitian offices, libraries, various professional
conferences, animal rights events, health fairs, environmental festivals,
and much more. Thank you for your support!
Go to: [ http://www.vrg.org/donate ]
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13) ABOUT THE VEGETARIAN RESOURCE GROUP
Our health professionals, activists, and educators work with businesses and
individuals to bring about healthful changes in your school, workplace, and
community. Registered dietitians and physicians aid in the development of
nutrition-related publications and answer member and media questions about
vegetarian diets. The Vegetarian Resource Group is a non-profit organization.
Financial support comes primarily from memberships, donations, bequests, and
book sales. The Vegetarian Journal, a print magazine, is a benefit of membership
in The VRG. (For more information, please see the Vegetarian Journal online
[ http://www.vrg.org/journal/ ]
)
To sign up for the The Vegetarian Resource Group national email newsletter,
please visit:[ http://www.vrg.org/vrgnews/ ]
We are also on Facebook and Twitter
If you would like to make a donation, become a member, volunteer, or find
out more about The VRG, contact us at:
The Vegetarian Resource Group
P.O. Box 1463
Baltimore, MD 21203
Phone: (410) 366-8343
Fax: (410) 366-8804
E-mail: [email protected]
Website: [ http://www.vrg.org/ ]
To donate:
[ http://www.givedirect.org/give/givefrm.asp?Action=GC&CID=1565/ ]
Copyright The Vegetarian Resource Group 2015 The contents of this newsletter,
and our other publications, including Vegetarian Journal, are not intended
to provide personal medical advice. Medical advice should be obtained from
a qualified health professional. We often depend on product and ingredient
information from company statements. It is impossible to be 100% sure about
a statement, info can change, people have different views, and mistakes can
be made. Please use your own best judgment about whether a product is suitable
for you. To be sure, do further research or confirmation on your own.
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14) ABOUT VRG NEWS
VRG-NEWS is the e-mail newsletter of The Vegetarian Resource Group. This is
an announcement list so subscriber messages are not accepted by the list.
If you have a technical question about the list, please contact us at [email protected].
If you have any suggestions, ideas, or corrections to VRG-NEWS, please direct
them to [email protected]. Thanks.
To subscribe to VRG-NEWS, go to
[ http://www.vrg.org ]
or
[ http://www.vrg.org/vrgnews/ ]
To unsubscribe, or otherwise manage your subscription to VRG-NEWS, go to
[ http://lists.vrg.org/mailman/listinfo/vrg-news_lists.vrg.org ]
(Go the bottom
of the page where it says unsubscribe or edit options)
If you are a new subscriber, you might enjoy reading past issues of VRG-NEWS
online at
[ http://www.vrg.org/vrgnews/ ]
Please support our outreach and assistance to other
The Vegetarian Resource Group / Vegetarian Journal
P.O. Box 1463 / Baltimore MD 21203 US
(410) 366-8343
The VRG is an educational non-profit group providing
information on vegetarianism & veganism.
To subscribe to VRG-NEWS, go to
[ http://www.vrg.org ]
or
[ http://www.vrg.org/vrgnews/ ]
To unsubscribe, or otherwise manage your subscription to VRG-NEWS, go to
[ http://lists.vrg.org/mailman/listinfo/vrg-news_lists.vrg.org ]
(Go the bottom of the page where it says unsubscribe or edit options)
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