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PhiLAnthopist Photo Essay: Start a Burrito Project
Some LAist friends got together to form their own burrito project. The burrito project is an awesome DIY-way to give something extra back in these trying times...'because mom said share'.
Props to the LAister who made it happen and El Cholo for donating 100 tortillas and 2 massive trays of beans and rice. While the burrito project won't end hunger or solve this recession people keep talking about, it does provide an answer to the most basic human question: are you hungry? Yes, we realize that not all of these people are hungry, and some may not even be truly homeless, but that attitude misses the point. Engaging yourself with the less fortunate, no matter the scale of their fortunes, is a noble and needed civic duty. And it will make you feel good too. And maybe inspire more community activism. Who knows.
Where the LA Burrito Project can truly succeed is right at street level, interacting with real faces and hearing real stories. Throwing change into a bucket at Christmas time doesn't put you in touch with the people you're helping, and -what's worse- it may not be directly helping anyone at all. With a project as simple and fundamental as the LA Burrito Project, the effect is immediate, and lasts much longer than the food itself, especially when it inspires people to dig deeper, get involved and drive change. There is a sense of community at stake, and a greater urgency for humanity in all of us.
Thanks to Farley Elliott for contributing this post.
Photos by Emily Lerman for LAist.
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