Gentle Thanksgiving Features 90 Events

This year's Gentle Thanksgiving campaign promoted vegetarian Thanksgiving events, listed 90 events in 27 states on its web site, and conducted a massive media blitz.

Here are some highlights:
More than 40 public cruelty-free Thanksgiving feasts were held
Up to 300 participated in the DC, Durham, and Los Angeles events
A California manufacturer donated dozens of UnTurkeys to a food bank
College students competed to organize the best observance
A national AR group asked President Bush to pardon additional turkeys

Our 6,000 news releases and letters to the media generated publication of 40 articles and letters to the editor, as well as 11 radio and TV interviews.

For additional information, visit the Gentle Thanksgiving web site.

CHOICE Promotes Vegan School Lunches

The mission of CHOICE (Citizens for Healthy Options In Children's Education) is to introduce vegan meals and nutrition education in America's schools. To these ends, the program is working on three parallel tracks:

1. Getting other states, notably New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Florida, to follow in the footsteps of Hawaii, California, and New York by passing a legislative resolution recommending daily availability of vegan lunch options in state schools

2. Implementing the California resolution by approaching individual schools

3. Assisting parents and others in introducing vegan options and nutrition education in their schools

To help implement the California resolution, we are in the process of publishing four brochures targeting parents, food service personnel, teachers, and students, as well as a detailed guide for food manufacturers and food service personnel.

CHOICE is co-sponsored by In Defense of Animals. For additional information, please visit www.CHOICEUSA.net, or contact info@CHOICEUSA.net.

Congress Launches Brazil Veg Movement

On November 12 and 13, FARM President and Founder Alex Hershaft addressed the World Vegetarian Congress in Florianopolis, Brazil. Nearly 500 delegates from 34 counties participated.

This first Congress to be held in South America was organized by the Brazilian Vegetarian Society and promises to have a major impact on the development of vegetarianism on that continent. A Brazilian national congress and a South American regional congress are already in the works for next year, and a number of local societies are forming.

The fledgling movement is looking for material and moral support. FARM has pledged financial aid and help with production of meat alternatives.

Please visit the Congress web site for additional details.

It's Time To Plan Meatout 2005

This is the time to start thinking big for the 20th anniversary observance of the Great American Meatout, the world's largest annual grassroots diet education campaign. It's a great opportunity to get our community to kick the meat habit on the first day of Spring in solidarity with a thousand other communities in all 50 states and 30 other countries.

You can start by inspecting last year's report and photos on the Meatout web site then let your imagination run wild. And keep us posted, so we can incorporate your ideas when we revise the web site next month.

In the meantime, please remember to subscribe your friends and neighbors to our colorful e-newsletter: