Yesterday Rebecca Sheir of NPR did two great stories on the Year of Giving. Check them out. One of the stories is available online here …the other I can not get to load on here.
Also, check the Lend a Hand section….some people have stepped up and offered to help out some of the recipients with items they need. Thanks Teri and Maureen!
Manny takes an order in the Sauca-mobile (Photo: Reed)
On nice days, I sometimes will walk all over the city looking for someone interesting to give my $10 to. Tuesday was just such a day. It was warm and sunny and I must have walked 3 or 4 miles. I ended up giving my $10 to a guy in a lunch truck.
Manny was laid off from a Venture Capital firm right before the holidays…now he is helping out the Sauça lunch truck.
According to their website, Sauca “combines food, travel, music, design, technology and fun into the most interesting new concept to hit the streets.” The concept was inspired by “snack vendors in India, railroad station vendors in Europe and the mobile taquerias of South America.” Manny knows a little something about international street food…he has travelled all over the world with the Armenian Folk Dance Group. He likes the fish tacos…but says everything is good. I can’t vouch for the food yet, as I had already eaten when I came across the truck. I will seek them out on another day and try their food, however, I can tell you that a frequent customer stopped by and raved about the food and service. She bought the Medi Vegi and said it is “amazing!”
The website is cool…they have a web came that shows what’s going on at the truck (this was not working when I checked the site out) and they have a great list of sauces you can get. You can also check the website to find out where the truck is going to be. Manny says they are planning add several more trucks this summer. Seems like these lunch trucks are doing well…I should open up a little mobile taqueria!
Check out the video to find out what kind of job Manny is looking for, what he did with the $10 and also take a behind the scenes tour of the truck.
Year of Giving 
Congratulations on the NPR article! I have been loving your stories and the follow ups to the people you have been giving to. Well done!
I can’t help but think that this would have made a great TV series. Too bad you don’t have a professional camera crew and sound quality so that it could be broadcast to a larger audience. Imagine the impact of contagious philanthropy were the whole world exposed!
Actually, a camera crew did come and film me to pitch the idea to tv execs for a documentary. Apparently there was not enough “drama” for the tv execs though. They needed for me to get stabbed or something I guess…and if that is what it takes, I am fine with the Year of Giving just how it is. Thanks for your note!
Maybe you pitched it to the wrong people. My hope is that tv and media start making more positive tv. People are starting to get sick of drama and violence. At least I am and I hope others are