Burrito Brigade, a Portland- and Eugene-based non-profit that serves hungry communities, just delivered its 100,000th hot vegan meal since its inception in 2014. On Jan. 14 alone, volunteers distributed 738 vegan burritos to people experiencing houselessness.
Portland State student and Burrito Brigade Board of Directors President CJ Myers said the organization primarily focuses on people living on the street.
“We try to keep up with people living outside organized camps or otherwise overlooked or fall outside the reach of other organizations,” Meyers said.
“In Portland, hundreds of burritos are handed out on production days to Right2Dream2, Dignity Village, and organized camps such as Hazelnut Grove,” the organization added in a statement. “But most are distributed under bridges, in parks, at intersections and bottle distribution centers and on the streets of downtown.”
The non-profit also stated it delivers meals directly to the hungry by car, bicycle and even on foot. The distribution volunteers also deliver water, fruit, bread, clothing, hand warmers and rain ponchos.
Burrito Brigade works with other local grassroots organizations such as Free Hot Soup that collect clothing, sleeping bags and tents.
In Eugene and Springfield, the Brigade delivers meals to at least 14 locations including Opportunity Village, First Place Family Center and University of Oregon.
Volunteers convene every second Sunday of the month at Sunnyside Community House near SE 35th and SE Yamhill St. to prepare and taste burritos. Burrito Brigade is funded by donations from organizations and individuals and receives supplies from community members’ gardens, organic food organizations and local companies.
“We only can use vegan ingredients in our burritos but can pass non-vegan food along to other organizations or individual people in need,” Myers said.
Myers encouraged other PSU students to get involved as Burrito Brigade volunteers.
For more information, email [email protected].
