newsletter numero uno
Two and a half months have passed since not one sparrow launched, or “hatched” if you want to call it that, and I’m a bit overdue for an update. This is the very first not one sparrow newsletter as a matter of fact, and while it’s also being posting on the blog, thank you very much to those who signed up for it by email. I really am grateful for the opportunity to keep you in the loop, and won’t abuse it by flooding your inbox.
I hope to add more content to the newsletter in the not-too-distant future as well as give it a more creative layout, but for now here’s an update on some of what I’ve been working on the past few months:
- I’ve dialogued with quite a few people, some new to animal welfare from a Christian perspective, but most have been glad to know not one sparrow was available as a resource and, I hope, as a moral support.
- Much of the site has been updated, including the motivation, faq and personal pages, and there are new blog posts on a number of subjects from puppy mills, the shelter crisis, animals and evangelicals, and factory farming to more lighthearted material.
- I helped host a discussion week on animal welfare at UK Christian leader Jason Clark’s blog, and not one sparrow was also featured at Best Friends, Animals & Religion.
- The design of the entire website has just been updated, after a rather arduous week, to add some flavor but also some new features, including the ability for blog readers to easily share posts at several networking sites.
- Speaking of which, after much encouragement, I did finally set up a not one sparrow Facebook page!
Here’s some of what I’ll be working on the next couple of months:
- Continuing to dialogue with anyone interested, including a number of professional animal advocates I’ve been grateful to connect with.
- Filling out the concerns section of the site and adding a number of resources pages to it, as well as contributing to the blog regularly with a variety of topics.
- Posting a Q&A video produced by my brother Josh on YouTube as well as Facebook and notonesparrow.com.
- Finding ways to bring more people to the site and put the animal welfare concern in front of more of the Christian community.
- Looking into nonprofit status for not one sparrow and nailing down other administrative responsibilities.
Regarding all of the above, I’m grateful to see not one sparrow develop and know that there’s a legitimate need for it to exist, which I understand a little better all the time in fact. At the same time however, I’m quickly coming to a point where I’m not going to be able to continue to invest the same time and energy, or develop some important outreach efforts much at all, unless God provides financially. I really am grateful for a few gifts from family and one not one sparrow friend which have helped substantially until recently, but I need help going forward in a crucial way.
That said, I would sincerely like to thank everyone who’s written, linked to not one sparrow or passed the word along to friends and family. It’s been an honor and encouragement to connect with many of you, and to know that others are learning about not one sparrow and more about animal welfare on the whole because of you.
Thank you, Ben DeVries
Ben DeVries
One more thing ... if anyone has any experience contributing to Wikipedia, please let me know if you'd be at all interested in creating an article about not one sparrow. I'd be tremendously grateful.
Reader Comments (3)
There are so, so many puppy mills in PA, especially in Lancaster County. And officials are so lackadaisical about it ... it's sick. It's something I want to become more politically active in.
Thanks for the note, Amy. I actually heard from a lady in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania who said there will be a Puppy Mill Awareness Day there this coming September, and perhaps every year from now on, which a number of organizations are sponsoring.
Great first newsletter, Ben! You sure have been busy launching this. So glad you're doing what you are. Press on!