Today we’d like to introduce you to Armando Parrish.
Hi Armando, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
When I was younger, I would spend many summer days with my mom in her office near High Five. Whenever we left the office, we always checked in on Lorenzo, my friend who lived under the highway. Over nine years, I developed a deep friendship with Lorenzo, and it crushed my heart to see him live on the streets. In June 2021, I started a GoFundMe for him, raising over $4,000, which enabled my family and I to put Lorenzo in an extended-stay hotel. After seeing this fundraiser, Project Lorenzo’s co-founder, Julie Condy, reached out with a plan to start a non-profit. After meeting all summer, we filed for non-profit status. In November 2021, we held our first fundraiser: 5K “Run for Change” Fun Run. The run was a success, with over 150 attendees and press attention from NBC News. From there, we planned our largest fundraiser to date: “Music for Change” Music Festival. Music for Change, taking place in August 2022, brought in 500-plus attendees, seven food trucks, twenty-six bands, and even a gaming trailer! After this, we were blessed to present for the Dallas Foundation’s Pegasus Prize in November 2022, walking away with $10,000. With these funds secured, we finally created our first program: Skilled Jobs. Skilled Jobs is a computer certification program where our volunteer teachers go to a shelter and teach certifications such as UX Design to individuals staying there. We piloted our program at In My Shoes, a Dallas women’s home, and it ran from January to November 2023. We are now expanding into three more shelters in 2024, and I am working to bring it to Austin.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
It has been a smooth road with a few potholes scattered along the way. For example, when we competed for the Dallas Foundation’s Pegasus Prize, we pitched for $50,000 but walked away with the runner-up prize of $10,000. This is an absolute blessing, and the funds were still used for their purpose. Furthermore, in our first year as a non-profit, the team and I were trying to figure out ways to help the homeless. We helped others where they were at (Providing immediate goods: Food, water, hotel stays, etc.), but it was a bit unstructured. Learning from this “pothole,” the computer skills program was born. Project Lorenzo has been so blessed with the opportunities we have, and we have grown because of our failures.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
My professional life is a full-time student at The University of Texas at Austin! I am a philosophy major, and I have plans to attend law school after I finish my undergraduate degree. I am most proud of Project Lorenzo because I will be working full-time for Project Lorenzo after college. Concerning uniqueness, our Computer Skills program is not being implemented anywhere else, and it has a high rate of success. Project Lorenzo’s mission is to be unique and to provide true, effective solutions to homelessness.
So maybe we end on discussing what matters most to you and why?
The core of my life is my faith. I am a Catholic, and this drives my every decision. My first and final goal in life is to be a saint, and this is why I do what I do. With Project Lorenzo, I want to help the homeless because they are people! These are real people who live on the streets, and we were all made in the same image and likeness of God. I have experienced joy in helping homeless individuals that cannot be compared to most other activities. My faith matters the most to me because my friendship with Our Savior is the most fulfilling and true friendship.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://projectlorenzo.org/#/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/projectlorenzo
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/project-lorenzo/?viewAsMember=true
