BURRITO PROJECT props / Happy Thanksgiving
Thread started by
trekkie at 11.22.07 - 6:43 am
(
reposted)
In the spirit of the Thanksgiving holiday, I thought it would be appropriate to highlight (give props to, if you will) a group of very well-meaning and kindhearted riders.
No matter which side of the homeless debate you choose to side on, one thing is clear: the
Burrito Project doesn't pick sides - it just wants to feed the hungry without judgment, without a need for fame and glory - and it's hard to deny that it accomplishes that mission very well, week in and week out.
Garnering headlines and a ton of interest when it
received the first ever Myspace Impact Award almost a year ago, which earned the non-profit organization a whopping donation of $10,000, the Burrito Project has since grown at a more than impressive pace, with "chapters" popping up all over the country, including a
Northeast Los Angeles effort getting underway recently. The
Los Angeles chapter, which serves mostly downtown and surrounding areas, has flourished with so many volunteer cyclists that they appear to no longer be taking new riders/cooks. Instead, they (and the main Burrito Project website) encourage others to create new chapters in their own communities. The L.A. chapter has been known to hand out 400+ burritos on their weekly rides through the metro area.
Here's how it works: one night each week, mostly anonymous groups of cyclists get together and "
build" vegan burritos from store-bought or donated materials. After wrapping and stuffing them in messenger bags, the shadowy crew then rides out to feed the homeless and hungry in their local communities.
The underlying concept is simple. People are out on the streets, and regardless of their individual situations, are often times cold, mentally disadvantaged, and hungry. The Burrito Project aims to feed these people - one human to another - to give them a much needed meal, and much needed hope. It's like the urban cycling community's way of paying it forward. From their site:
The mission of Burrito Project is to provide people with the means to become active members in their community. It is a way for people to bridge a gap between the fed and the hungry. Burrito Project is in no way, shape, or form affiliated with any religious or political organization; we are non-fame and a non-personal recognition group. We would rather profit with personal satisfaction than personal recognition...The homeless and hungry are people. They are our sons, daughters, brothers, sisters, and parents...
...The Project is respectful and friendly. Despite the reasons for these people’s displacement, the project extends a free burrito without judgment. There is no sermon or lecture. We offer substance in the form of a handshake, eye contact, warm food, and even some hugs.
We can argue about the issues surrounding homelessness in Los Angeles until we're blue in the face, but there's no arguing that these riders are making a huge impact on the day to day lives of the homeless and hungry across the city. Kudos to them, and happy Thanksgiving to all.
P.S. rumor has it that a Hollywood Burrito Project is in the works...
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I can't not support something that involves burritos.
ephemerae11.22.07 - 11:13 am
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I have a new technique for besting Utahraptor in arguments.
It is the . . . VEIL OF IGNORANCE!!!
John Rawls invented this but I think I would have come up with it first if he didn't. _[STOMP]_ Basically it says we should design society as if we have no prior knowledge of our own position in it.
Like you just make up how things should be and then after that you learn if you're going to be sushi chef or diplomat or even homeless. _[STOMP]_
That makes me wonder, what if I WAS HOMELESS? We should probably give the homeless some food, something tasty like burritos to fill their bellies.
PUMPKIN PIE is my favorite food for filling my belly.
Where's Utahraptor?
A big "SUper COOL Job**!" round of applause for the Burrito Project folks. I remember Matt Benjamin telling me about this on a late night ride through fog, and feeling instantly impressed, and guilty for not having done more myself. Kick ass!
T REX11.22.07 - 12:18 pm
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Dude,
Theory of Justice: best liberal work EVER.
trekkie11.22.07 - 12:45 pm
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Indeed Trekkie - you are correct. Rawls - a man among women, I hope he got some KISSES!
T REX11.22.07 - 12:58 pm
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hey allan - shoot me an email: anh@metroped.net
also, if anyone is bored and wants to bust their ass to make like 20 pb&j's real quick - i'm gonna be riding west from Hollywood/Vermont (Rite Aid/Fatburger) in about an hour, handing out sandwiches. i've got about 30 on me.
anh
213.880.1877
trekkie11.22.07 - 4:36 pm
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Paging Hollywood Ridazz, is any one on for making burritos/ sandwiches on Monday 6 o'clock + and delivering at night...
let me know.
KataCyklsLA2NY11.23.07 - 12:41 am
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I'm there! Wait does that mean your kitchen? I also have a kitchen available as well as a huge pot for beans and/or rice.
trekkie11.23.07 - 1:33 am
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Hey Trekkie, what's your address ?
VeloIza@gmail.com
Let's prepare the Burriots at your house.
KataCyklsLA2NY11.23.07 - 7:52 am
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Hey, my hummer holds a lot more burritos than my backpack, where can I meet up to help out?
Never mind, I'll just ride my shiny new fixie instead.
Come to think of it, I'm often cold, mentally disadvantaged, and hungry, where should I be to get my free burrito?
dave11.23.07 - 10:47 am
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I am totally down for it too! And I have an extra large messenger bag to deliver foodz in!
markedge11.23.07 - 10:47 am
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this is something that i would like to get involved with, today is friday nov 23, anybody setting something up this weekend? email me at: eddieboyinla@sbcglobal.net <--- at least 24 hours in advance of the BP ---< thanks.
eddieboyinla11.23.07 - 2:33 pm
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I can help tonight as well.
barleye@hotmail.com
barleye11.23.07 - 4:49 pm
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hey folks, just realized, monday is wolfpack night.
can we do another day? how bout sunday or tuesday?
trekkie11.23.07 - 6:55 pm
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Tuesday night sounds good.
Trekkie, do you want to use your kitchen ?
Where abouts do you live ?
KataCyklsLA2NY11.23.07 - 8:12 pm
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I can help as well, Tuesday is lot better for me, who do I call or where do I go talk to me I ll be there.. and nop I don eat burritos..lol
SONNY11.23.07 - 8:39 pm
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i'm on winona and hollywood, a block west of normandie.
my kitchen (and the whole place) is small, but i don't have roommates and it would work if we don't mind being cozy - also, if noone minds being terrorized by this:
for assembly line purposes, does anyone have a small folding table?
we should look into getting supplies as well. there's a guy that rides w/ l.a. burrito project that apparently gets tortillas for crazy cheap. we should try and hit him up maybe.
trekkie11.23.07 - 8:50 pm
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Cool! So this is a go for Tuesday? I'll be there! Also for the future, you might want to start a new thread. This thread is going to look silly around March or sooner!
User111.23.07 - 8:56 pm
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Got it anh, I will see ya on tuesday eve, I like the project
SONNY11.23.07 - 9:59 pm
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Hey, Trekkie glad Tuesday works out for lots of us. The cozier the merrier, I have some rice and beans at home I was thinking maybe I would soak them on Tues morning to reduce enzyme inhibitors and reduce cooking time. Do you have the guy who gets cheap tortillas number ?
KataCyklsLA2NY11.24.07 - 6:44 am
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my girl and i wanna help too. someone email me the address and the time to be there.
brad
barleye@hotmail.com
barleye11.24.07 - 9:54 am
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Hello Barleye, Trekkie posted his address above and his phone # is also listed if you read the very top part of the thread.
KataCyklsLA2NY11.24.07 - 12:33 pm
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I can do Tuesday too, if I haven't stated that before. I can bring some ingredients too, so hit me up.
User111.24.07 - 4:28 pm
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You guys are awesome. Can the Oven help out in any way? Hot chocolate stop on the way home from Skid Row?
ubrayj0211.24.07 - 9:33 pm
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Apparently, the first rule of Burrito Project is, you do not talk about Burrito Project.
The second rule of Burrito Project is, YOU DO NOT talk about Burrito Project.
Therefore, interested parties, please point your browsers to:
http://groups.google.com/group/hollywood-burrito-project
where we will not talk about Burrito Project. Instead, we will talk about kittens and the nutritional aspects of eating brainzzz.
trekkie11.26.07 - 5:02 pm
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The BURRITO PROJECT has gone dark!
I got that from the show 24!
User111.28.07 - 2:22 pm
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Hey Randy Danny Zuko Gopez Allan Dan everybody that was their last Tuesday let's do it again.
KataCyklsLA2NY12.3.07 - 6:18 pm
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"At the Whitehouse tonight
You can bet they're not eating burritos
Nor are they wearing dirty clothes
No burittos
and no dirty clothes
at the Whitehouse"
http://www.alternativetentacles.com/octopodes/429/V5dZXbfcD8N0x4i-0G0/The_Beatnigs-Burritos.mp3
toweliesbong12.3.07 - 6:41 pm
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I'm in for Tuesday. Let me know asap if I have to bring something.
User112.3.07 - 7:21 pm
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Ridazz Roulette!
Long live the Burrito Project!