Our first guest is Ashley Byrne, a director for PETA. Today she will discuss how easy it is to help animals and the environment this winter by choosing vegan clothing and accessories. Today, more shoppers than ever are concerned about animal welfare and the environment, with a reported 73% of Gen Z consider themselves animal rights activists. When people hear that PETA entities’ undercover investigations have revealed workers hitting and mutilating sheep for wool, leaving goats with bloody wounds at mohair and cashmere wool operations, burning and beating cows for leather, and yanking out ducks’ and geese’s feathers for down, they’re eager to opt for stylish, animal-free materials. In addition to sparing animals from daily suffering and terrifying death, vegan fashion is better for the environment: Animal agriculture is responsible for nearly one-fifth of all man-made greenhouse-gas emissions, making it a leading cause of climate catastrophe, and animals’ skins are treated with toxic chemicals—which pollute nearby waterways—to keep them from decomposing. For more information, go to www.Peta.org.
Our second guests today are Samir Martinez, Market Director of New England for Cricket Wireless, and Nicolas (Nick) V., 
Boys & Girls Club of America, Pacific Youth of the Year. Our discussion today is Boys and Girls Clubs of America are teaming up with Cricket Wireless to support families across America during the Holiday season. This year, especially during the holiday season, Boys & Girls Clubs of America is going the extra mile to meet the increasing needs of children across America and provide much-needed assistance to help these young people and their families reach their full potential. Families across America have been surprised as a part of the 12 Days of Cricket initiative, where they have received gifts and support totaling over $140,000 to help them meet critical needs so they can focus on what matters most around the holidays to make them bright. Boys & Girls Clubs of America’s mission is to enable young people to reach their full potential. This has become even more important when most families navigate additional challenges due to the pandemic. Boys & Girls Clubs have expanded their efforts to support kids and families with assistance from trusted organizations like Cricket, which support young people and their families by fostering kindness, encouraging healthy mobile habits, and providing resources to help them overcome challenging times. For more information, go to www.bgca.org.
Our third guest today is an author and ordained Evangelist, Brother Fredrick Ezeji-Okoye. He discusses his book, “Who Prays for the Pastor?” He tells how he had been called to minister to those who minister and about being led by God to create an organization called the Men of Faith Network. Brother Fredrick discusses how he developed his ideas and provides encouragement and advice in his book, Who Prays for the Pastor? Aimed at an audience of both pastors and their parishioners, Brother Ezeji-Okoye offers practical information for both parishioners and pastors on a variety of subjects, all aimed at supporting pastors in their life and work.
“Parishioners should share the burden of praying for our pastors. Week after week, we receive what God has poured into us. We have many expectations of them, expressed and unexpressed,” Ezeji-Okoye explains. “How often does the average congregant stop considering the pastor’s needs? If the pastor is doing all the pouring, how is he being replenished? It is time to become the ones who pray for our pastors.” With chapters ranging from stress and financial pressures to others about wellness and family life, the book is one that individuals may benefit from reading. Some groups have begun purchasing in quantity to share with congregations and organizations for pastors. The book even ends with a chapter of intercessory prayers provided by others. ” Who Prays for the Pastor?” [ISBN: 978-1-946889-48-5, $9.99] was published by Carpenter’s Son Publishing. It is available from online retailers and selected bookstores. For more information, visit the Liberty Foundation, LLC.