OU grad starts GoFundMe page to feed Chipotle to homeless in New York City.
A self-proclaimed “Chipotle virgin” is turning his procrastination to eat the famed fast food chain’s burritos into a movement to feed the homeless.
Alan Moyer, a 2014 graduate of Ohio University who now lives in New York City, says he has never eaten a Chipotle burrito, despite the persistent encouragement from his friends on social media to do so.
To humor his friends, Moyer started a GoFundMe page titled “Alan Goes to Chipotle For 1st Time,” with the goal of raising $20 to fund not just his first experience at Chipotle, but also feed the homeless man that sits outside the restaurant in his neighborhood.
“It got up to $21 in an hour,” he said. “So I was like, ‘all right, this can actually do something.’ So I started #BurritosForTheHomeless.”
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Now, any amount raised over $20 will go toward buying burritos for homeless people in New York City, which Moyer will purchase and hand out Aug. 16 — the tentative date on which he will taste his first Chipotle burrito.
As of Tuesday afternoon, the page had raised $71.
Moyer added that he donated $20, so no money donated will be going directly to him, but to the cause.
The area of the city Moyer will be handing out the burritos is Hell’s Kitchen, a Manhattan neighborhood where he witnesses homelessness daily.
“Just walking down any of the streets between the avenues, I would say I see at least 10 people between each one,” he said. “And I see them every single day. I always try to buy them a dollar slice of pizza or give them a dollar usually once a day. But I have the opportunity to do something big.”
Besides aiming to feed the homeless, Moyer said he hopes to spread awareness and understanding for homelessness.
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“A lot of people would say, ‘why don’t they get a job?’ but you don’t know their life, the circumstances that they face, how they grew up,” he said. “And it’s not so easy for them to go to, say, Chipotle, and say, ‘hey, can I have a job?’ They can’t shower; they don’t have a change of clothes.”
He said the ultimate goal is to spark a movement through #BurritosForTheHomeless and start a dialogue about this nationwide issue.
Moyer said those who want to donate but don’t feel comfortable doing so through the GoFundMe page can go to Jackie O’s Pub & Brewery in Athens and ask for Alan or Bruce.
@Alisa_Warren
aw120713@ohio.edu
