Chapel Hill Burrito Bikers delivers food to those in need

The taco truck near Merritt Mill Road is getting some new competition.

Since Sept. 18, a team of bikers have delivered breakfast burritos — along with peanut butter sandwiches and water — to those in need in Chapel Hill and Carrboro.

The group, known as the Chapel Hill Burrito Bikers, delivers 18 to 22 breakfast burritos every Saturday morning.

Julie Penn Dickson and Jane Howard Crutchfield, the program’s coordinators, began the local group after being inspired by a similar group in Greensboro.

Dickson said it can be difficult to determine whether to give someone a burrito, because it is not always clear whether he or she is truly in need.

“It’s hard to tell, but we just give them to anyone who wants them,” Dickson said.

They ask questions such as “Have you had breakfast yet?” to see who may be in need.

“We wanted to do more than just serve them food and say ‘Here you go,’” Dickson said. “We wanted to do something more in direct contact with the people.”

The group is working on making local connections with businesses and non-profits and aims to partner with a non-profit group to handle expenses, Crutchfield said.

“Whole Foods is donating bread Friday mornings,” Dickson said. “We use it to make peanut butter sandwiches.”

Dickson said volunteers for the Inter-Faith Council for Social Service as well as the Campus Y group HOPE (Homeless Outreach Poverty Eradication) have provided guidance and support.

“It’s more an unofficial collaboration right now. But we are definitely interested in working with them,” said Lane Baldwin, co-chairwoman of HOPE.

Dickson and Crutchfield both cited consistency and expanding membership as long-term goals.

“Four or five people usually go with us every week,” Crutchfield said. “We want enough people to join to have someone there every week.

“We hope we can continue every week and get more volunteers.”

For more information, visit the group’s Facebook page.

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