The Burrito Project

If you ever find yourself feeling helpless and you’re looking for a way to give back, or simply need a place to go filled with kind people who are dedicated to helping others, you’ll find it all at The Burrito Project.

Last week, I had the pleasure of volunteering with The Burrito Project for the first time. I’ve been following them on social media for quite some time. After learning about the project from a guy I met at a bar once, I felt compelled to participate in their cause and I have been wanting to volunteer with them since. Between life stuff and a lack of holding myself accountable to this idea, I always found a reason to not make it a priority. That is, until a friend whom I met fortuitously one night on a hike made the announcement on Facebook that she wanted to volunteer with them this year. In seeing her post, I immediately let her know I was interested, and we set a date to volunteer together.

Before I get in to my experience and the wonderfulness that is the Burrito Project, I first want to share how the way I made it here was in itself a wonder. In a world with so many people, most of which we pass in fleeting and never think about again, it often amazes me the way connections with people are made and how those connections affect our lives.

Have you ever been in a moment, and stopped to reflect on how you got there? Not how in the sense of transportation, but how in the sense of the series of events that took place prior to lead to this moment? If I hadn’t been at the bar that one night, I might not have ever heard of the Burrito Project. And if I hadn’t been on that hike that night, and a friend in our group hadn’t invited this lone hiker to join our group, and she had never heard of the Burrito Project, I may never had volunteered and enjoyed the experience I did. There is so much beauty that lies in the connections we share with people when we are open to sharing.

If you’ve never heard of The Burrito Project, they are a non-profit (in Los Angeles since 2015) dedicated to sharing food, specifically burritos, and supplies with the homeless on Skid Row.

“The Burrito Project, offers an extended burrito without judgment. There is no sermon or lecture. We offer sustenance in the form of a handshake, eye contact, warm food, and even some hugs.”

-The Burrito Project (http://theburritoproject.org/about/ )

They recognize that they are not a solution or a band-aid to the homeless problem we have in Los Angeles, but rather a starting point bringing a new perspective on what community truly means.

If you’ve ever driven through Los Angeles, and have found yourself near Skid Row, it can be easy to drive through safely in your car and divert eye contact from the individuals who inhabit that area. It is easy to see the suffering and still turn a blind eye. It can be heartbreaking to a certain point, but not to a point where you feel like there’s anything you can do about it. I know these things because I too have felt this way. But my involvement with the Burrito Project has given me a new perspective.

As one frequent volunteer stated, and I’m paraphrasing a bit here, “When you share food with someone, you share an experience and a connection with them, and everyone deserves good food.”

There are 2 phases to the night and I chose to participate in both phases. The experience from start to finish was eye-opening and incredible to say the least. I began the night in church kitchen with 20-30 other volunteers. What started out as a room of strangers, quickly became a room full of friends as we prepared the burritos, sharing stories and laughter, and most importantly the act of making food together. In a true sense of community and teamwork, the volunteers were able to make 1,000 burritos that we would hand out later that night.

Once the burritos were rolled and packaged, we loaded up a van along with cases of water bottles and supplies such a hygiene kits and socks, and we drove out to Skid Row. Going to Skid Row at 10:00 at night may sound a little scary, but with a large group of loving people, it isn’t. We started at the Downtown Women’s Center, walked up to Midnight Mission, and circled back around.

Walking the streets alongside the tenants of Skid Row and the volunteers was inspiring and heartbreaking, enlightening and humbling. My perspective about the streets of Skid Row changed in an instant. The thing people often forget about the homeless is that they are people too, just like us. They have feelings and thoughts and preferences just as we do. They matter.

The act of sharing food with the people living in this tent city was about more than just the food, it was about human connection. Offering a kind word or a listening ear, warm food and water, clean, dry socks, handshakes and fist bumps, the people were kind and humble. We offered them as much as they wanted or needed and while some took us up on the offer of taking as much as they could hold, others took merely what they needed for the night because they didn’t want to seem too greedy, or they wanted to make sure there was enough for everyone. I’ve so often found that the ones who have the least are often the ones who give the most.

As we walked the streets, some people came up to us and hung around our group, talking about things like fashion, life, and the government shutdown. Others stayed tucked in their tents, reaching out a hand to grab a burrito and some water. When offered socks, some people preferred black or a dark color since they didn’t look dirty as quickly, whereas others didn’t mind what color they were as they were just happy receive dry, clean socks after a week of rain. Some people asked for things we didn’t have, and I felt sorry that I couldn’t provide those items. But almost everyone I met expressed their gratitude toward us for giving without question or judgement, and I was honored to help even in the small capacity that I was.

Los Angeles is tough, and life is not easy. In a society formed around consumerism and expectations, it’s easy to feel that we don’t have enough, or to get down on ourselves for not being where we expected to be in life, but the reality is we have so much to give. In a world full of haste and anger, it’s easy to lose hope. In a world that seems greedy, it is refreshing to find a group of citizens dedicated to giving, especially to those less fortunate. It is beyond inspirational to find people who will continue to act with kindness and love.

Last week may have been my first volunteer experience with the Burrito Project, but it will most certainly not be my last.