Activist Center
Provides information and resources to select, plan, register,
and implement a successful and meaningful Meatout event.

IMPORTANT-- Read this Section then Register!
(If you register now, please return to this page later)

• allows us to keep you up-to-date
• allows us to provide you guidance and materials
• posts your event on web site
• informs local activists and media about your event
• allows you to inspire others
• helps us promote Meatout with the national media
  

1. Expose the largest number of people to the benefits of plant-based eating
2. Create a lasting positive experience for visitors
3. Generate positive media coverage for the residents of your community
4. Be sensitive to your community's needs and interests
5. Be compatible with the national theme and focus of the current observance
6. Be compatible with your and your group's interests and resources

1. The first criterion can be met with the aid of effective promotion, good location, entertainment, and attractive educational displays and handouts. Free samples of veggie burgers, veggie dogs, soy nuggets, or other meatless goodies always enhance visitor interest and acceptance.
   
   
2. The second can be met by making visitors feel very welcome, by inviting them to your next function, and/or by signing them up for the FARM's Meatout Mondays or EarthSave's VegPledge programs.
   
   
3. The third criterion requires cultivation of your local media, which is covered in "Working With the Media" below.
   
   
4. The fourth refers to making sure that your displays and handouts are not too radical and off-putting for your community's current dietary standards. A variety of display and handout materials are available from FARM, although you are certainly welcome to use your own or other organizations' materials.
   
   
5. The fifth is easy. The recurring theme of Meatout is the simple request that people "kick the meat habit on March 20 (first day of spring), at least for a day, and explore a wholesome, nonviolent diet of vegetables, fruits, and grains."
   
   The focus for the past several years has been on promoting the availability and selection of meatless foods in mainstream supermarkets and restaurants. Our 25 years of experience in promoting plant-based diets has taught us that this strategy is more effective than factory farm and slaughterhouse horror stories, reports of environmental devastation, and even warnings about dire effects on personal health.
   
   
6. Finally, the nature and scope of the event must be compatible with your and your group's interests and resources to ensure that you enjoy doing it and not burn out in the process.
   
   

• Information Table ('steakout') is the most popular event, which requires only a couple of people and a couple hours of planning effort. You pick a popular location and busy time of day, get a permit (if necessary), then show up for a couple of hours with a large table, a couple of chairs, and lots of display and handout materials from FARM or other sources.
  
  
• Exhibit is an non-staffed version of the steakout. It makes up for lack of intensity and staffing with a duration of about a week. The typical location is your local library or student union. The display materials, including books, are usually under protective glass cover, while the handouts are available to passersby.
  
  
• Leafleting (handouts) is even simpler than the steakout, because it requires no permit and no equipment. A typical location is a fast food outlet at lunch time. We recommend a courtesy call to the local police and the use of a couple of display boards.
  The former defuses police hostility when they get a call from the restaurant manager. The latter allows passersby to tell what you're about and reduces the number of leaflets in the waste stream. Free veggie burger or veggie dog samples add a lot.
  
  
• Retail Outreach is a key component of the Meatout campaign. It involves getting supermarkets and restaurants to carry and promote more meatless foods.We strongly encourage activists to do include retail outreach among their activities. FARM is contacting the headquarters of national chains to obtain favorable mention of Meatout. Activists who sign up for this event will receive detailed instructions and progress reports, so you will know which outlets to contact. We will conduct similar outreach to major bookstore chains.
  
  
• Lecture/Video Screening requires a decent speaker, an entertaining video (like Healthy, Wealthy, and Wise available from FARM), and/or suitable classroom materials (available from the CHOICE web site). The location can be a classroom, student union, community center, church, or private home. Free food samples add a lot.
  
  
• Workplace Feed-Ins offer ample room for effort and creativity. It can be as simple as putting out some veggie snacks, Meatout posters, and handouts, in a college dorm or workplace lunchroom. It can be as ambitious as getting major corporation, university, or hospital cafeterias going meatless for a day. It has the added psychological advantage of apparent official sanction.
  
  
• Public Meals differ from the feed-ins in three respects: a) you have a wider choice of constituencies, b) people don't happen to be there - you need to attract them, and c) you provide the food. The constituencies may be Members of Congress or other public officials, residents of a community, members of a church or club, residents of a homeless or battered women's shelter, or personal friends. A large number of locations can be used. Some food can be obtained from manufacturers through FARM. A cooking demonstration can be included in the program.
  
  
• Festival/Fair ('lifestival') combines elements of other events and attracts a lot of people. More planning, promotion, and resources are needed for lifestivals, but it is worth it! Common ingredients of a festival are musical entertainment, street theater, local celebrities, food samples, cooking demos, videos, and other attractive display and handout materials. A fair rents booths to local food retailers and health care providers. Typical locations are a public park or downtown plaza.
  
  
• Ads/Billboards send a powerful message to thousands. Individuals and organizations that wish to contribute money instead of or in addition to their time, can sponsor newspaper ads or billboards. Art work and technical instructions are available from FARM.

1. Register intent to participate
2. Recruit help and hold a planning meeting
3. Develop an Action Plan
4. Recruit speakers and performers
5. Obtain permits if necessary
6. Register changes so we have your final event plan
7. Conduct promotional and media outreach
8. Obtain materials: equipment, displays, handout, food samples, etc.
9. Conduct event
10. Send report, clippings, and photos to FARM

Order Why Vegans or Try Vegetarians from Vegan Outreach.

1. First, register your event, even if your plans are not finalized.
   You can Register online or call 1-800-MEATOUT. Registering your event is very important as it: posts your information on the Events web page, brings you local activists and media attention, allows us to provide you with the appropriate guidance and materials, and helps us promote Meatout with the national media. You should update your registration when your plans are finalized or if they change.
   
   
2. Schedule a planning meeting and promote it within your own group, as well as contacting local vegetarian, animal, environmental, health, hunger, and religious (Seventh Day Adventist and Krishna) groups and posting an announcement at libraries, coops, and health food stores. At the planning meeting, select one or more events and identify individuals to take on responsibilities.
   
   
3. Every event deserves an Action Plan - a list of tasks with a brief description, name of individual responsible, and start and completion dates. For any event more complex than a steakout, an Action Plan is essential. Our national Meatout Action Plan contains more than a hundred tasks. Yours should be much simpler.
   
   
4. Speakers, musicians and other entertainers are often willing to participate at no charge for nonprofit events such as Meatout, both to assist the cause and to increase their exposure. Tasteful costumes also draw a crowd. In inviting local officials and other mainstream speakers, you may avail yourself of the information presented in the public support section of the About page on this web site.
   
   
5. Permits for events on public property are required only if you are impeding traffic or otherwise interfering with free use of such property by others. Even if you don't need a permit, a courtesy call notifying local authorities of your plan is generally a good idea. Shopping malls and their parking lots are supposedly open to public access, but for the purpose of conducting business. Solicitors are generally expected to get permission.
   
   
6. Register any changes with us, so we can keep the Events page up-to-date.
   
   
7. Promotion of your event may include news releases, newspaper calendar notices, public service announcements, calls to talk shows, letters to editor, ads, flyers, and posters in stores and locations suggested for the planning meeting notice.
   
   
8. Most equipment and materials will be obtained locally. Display and handout materials are available from FARM and other organizations. Action Kits are immediately available online when you register or we can mail you one. For banners, posters and other display materials, request an Event Pack when you register and we will send you the display materials in March. Food samples are provided by some of our manufacturers. Check the manufacturer section (at the end of this page) in February and March for detailed information of who is providing what, and how to apply.
   
   
9. Conduct your event! Have fun and enjoy the celebration!
   
   
10. Send a brief report of your event(s) to to the Meatout Coordinator at FARM (address PO Box 30654, Bethesda MD 20824). Include sign-up sheets, photographs, and originals of any news clippings. View our photo gallery or Meatout 2003 Report..

• Get current names and contact information for all lifestyle, food, assignment, and/or news editors by calling the newspapers and stations.
• Contact talk show producers or hosts to arrange an interview. Offer to bring along a local celebrity (3 weeks before event). Follow up by phone. Confirm any plans (1-2 days before).
• Call in to talk shows to announce your event by tying it to the talk show topic (any time).
• Send a general news release about your event and the national Meatout observance to the lifestyle, and food editors of newspapers and radio and TV stations as soon as your plans are firm. Be sure to include all newsworthy details. Write in short, objective newspaper-style paragraphs so reporters can draw directly from your release. You may use portions of our national news releases posted on the Media page of this web site. (2-3 weeks before).
• Send notices of your event to newspaper calendar sections (2 weeks before).
• Send letter to the editor. Keep it friendly, simple, and under 250 words (1 week before).
• Offer to bring vegan lunch to talk show hosts who did not schedule an interview, if they agree to mention it on the air (5 days before).
• Send a media advisory to the assignment editors or news directors of newspapers and radio and TV stations announcing the precise nature, date, time, location, and program of your event. Note any prominent speakers or other newsworthy aspects (3 days before).
• Follow up by telephone to find out if they plan to attend. Most of the time, they will ask you to send the advisory again. Be friendly and upbeat, but keep the conversation short, unless encouraged to elaborate. Avoid late afternoons, when they are working on the evening news.
• Offer to send a report and photographs of your event immediately afterwards to media people who seemed interested, but did not attend.
• Always thank those who cover your event. Invite them to call you the next time they need sources on vegetarian or animal rights issue
  
  
• To assist you: an Ad Sheet and Sample Local News Release



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Working with Manufacturers
Decisions are made on a case-by-case basis. Please limit phone calls.

Order early most require 2-3 weeks notice!
Include the following information:

• Date of event & date of requested delivery
• Description of event & possible media coverage
• Specific product requested (check website if necessary)
• Quantity requested
• Shipping address
• Your contact info
• Any additional relevant information
  

THANKS to our Meatout 2004 Sponsors

Thanks Also to Our Generous
Donating Manufacturers!  
Requests are no longer being accepted.  

Manufacturer	Contact Info	Additional Information
Gardenburger gardenburger.com		Founder of the original veggie burger created 20 years ago. Today there is whole new world of delicious meatless marvels. Buffalo Chik'n Wings, Riblets, and Herb Crusted Cutlets are just the beginning .
Turtle Island tofurky.com		Home of the the famous and unbelievably delicious Tofurky Roast. Also available Tofurky slices, jerky, gravy, brats, and other good eats.
Amy's Kitchen amyskitchen.com		Committed to producing truly delicious, easily prepared vegetarian meals made with natural and organic ingredients. Wide variety of meat-free and organic frozen foods.
Turtle Mountain turtlemountain.com		Specializing in the creation and production of all natural frozen desserts... makers of Soy Delicious and more! See web for products.
Road's End Organics chreese.com		Producer of delicious vegan alternatives to many of your favorite comfort foods, including the only boxed Vegan Mac & Cheese alternative, Nacho Chreese dips and Vegan Gravy Mixes. Experience the taste of childhood, all grown up!!
Sun Flour Baking sunflourbaking.com		Vegan cookies galore! You just pay shipping.
Lumen Foods lumenfds.com		8 flavors of fun and tasty meatless jerquee. Non-GMO, kosher and vegan certified.
Karma'Licious karmalicious.com		Karma'Licious Veggie Bolognese, with non-GMO soy protein - a versatile and absolutely delectable sauce for pasta, veggies and more. Delicious! Nutritious! No Bull! Available online and from Pangea.

 

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Colorful Meatout T-shirts & Display Materials!
To order, call 1-800-Meatout or e-mail info@meatout.org

Order colorful Try Vegetarian booklets to handout
for only 25 cents each from Vegan Outreach!

You can also order materials from 5-a-Day.

 

Thanks for your efforts on behalf of the animals!