Lisa Portmess is a philosophy professor at Gettysburg College in Gettysburg, Pa. With Kerry Walters, she co-authored two books, one about the history of religious vegetarianism and the other on the history of ethical vegetarianism.

The Lakshmi Cow Sanctuary in Bangor, Pa., rescues cows headed for slaughter because, among other things, “cows are dear to Lord Krishna.” Its founder is Sankar Sastri. Contact through the website.

July 8, 2013, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette article about the tough decision to evict homeless from a Pittsburgh underpass.

The Rev. Patricia D. Brown is director of Spiritworks, a nonprofit, online resource for the exploration of Judeo-Christian spirituality. She is the author of Paths to Prayer: Finding Your Own Way to the Presence of God. She is based in Pittsburgh.

Janet Ruth Falon is a creative writing teacher and the author of The Jewish Journaling Book: How to Use Jewish Tradition to Write Your Life and Explore Your Soul.

Oasis Ministries for Spiritual Development in Camp Hill, Pa., is a ministry for spirituality and contemplation. It has single day events, year-long training and retreats for training and education.

Gregory Krohn teaches religion and economics at Bucknell University in Lewisburg, Pa.

Paula Kane is an associate professor of Catholic studies at the University of Pittsburgh and teaches American religious history. She has been studying stigmata and Marian apparitions.

Shane Claiborne is a Philadelphia-based Christian activist and author. He is a co-founder of Red Letter Christians, a Christian group that focuses on people at the economic and social margins.