Burrito Friday

The 15th Night Youth Action Council (YAC) has been hosting Burrito Friday every week for the last three years. It all started when the YAC identified Friday evenings as a time when there weren’t any existing meal services available to youth on the streets. The YAC decided they would host a meal service that they could also use as an opportunity to build relationships with street-impacted youth in hopes of connecting them to community resources. Fast forward three years and the YAC has established a thriving network of community volunteers who continue to show up each week to fill our young people’s bellies and hearts with yummy food and love.

Every Friday afternoon a rotating and continuously growing group of community volunteers prepare a meal (usually burritos, but they’re known to switch it up from time to time) that is distributed by YAC members and volunteers to street-impacted youth. Throughout the pandemic, this weekly tradition has endured location changes, constantly changing safety protocols, and many handheld thermometers, in order to keep showing up for our youth each week. Consistency is key because Burrito Friday is about so much more than providing a meal; it’s about building relationships.

When a youth comes to Burrito Friday they are greeted by (masked) smiles and usually some familiar faces. They will get a hot meal, and have the opportunity to connect with peer support and other community resources. Sometimes it’s shoes or warm clothes, and sometimes it’s support in finding a job or help reconnecting to school. The Burrito Friday crew is able to help bridge the gap between street-impacted youth and the incredible resources in our community that already exist.

The 15th Night YAC is so excited to have found their permanent home for Burrito Friday with Youth ERA’s new drop-in center at 44 W. 7th Avenue. Stay tuned to learn more about this amazing community collaboration and new resource coming to our community. If you would like to be added to the list of volunteers who prepare meals for Burrito Friday please e-mail info@15thnight.org.