The Burrito Brigade

Community Powered Mutual Aid in Santa Fe

The Burrito Brigade began operations in November 2024 and has since made close to 4,000 burritos (around 80 a week) for Santa Fe’s unhoused and food-insecure communities. We have also begun handing out hot drinks, basic medical and hygiene supplies, and clothing. In December 2025, we are starting a second weekly cook and distribution, as well as providing a wide variety of other community support services.The idea is simple and rooted in the principle of mutual aid: when there’s a crisis, we pool our resources and care for the most vulnerable among us. Rather than waiting for city approval, or negotiating lengthy grant processes, we use what’s available right here, right now to begin solving some of the big problems we face.Mutual aid's history is longer than humanity's. Human and non-human communities everywhere have, do, and will respond to crises (earthquakes, pandemics, state violence) by forming networks of care, sharing food, transportation, and information. Mutual aid has also been a critical means of resistance to colonization, racism and capitalism. Indigenous communities have long shared resources to survive and combat genocidal erasure. In the modern day, oppressed communities have built mutual aid projects such as The Black Panthers, the Young Lords, The Jane Collective, or Mutual Aid Disaster Relief to protect and energize their communities.Mutual aid is rooted in caring for our communities, but it is also about building power and mobilizing together. In the United States, we are surrounded by top-down political parties and hierarchical, nonprofit-led social movements—systems built around charity (givers and takers), rather than liberation (collective equality). These structures tend to prioritize goals that are palatable to elites rather than what communities actually need. We see the dangers of this culture in the Democratic Party’s anemic response to the rise of fascist, white-supremacist Christian nationalism. In top-down structures, power is given to the most comfortable, and therefore the least likely to act.Mutual aid provides an alternative model of engagement, one which engages everyday people and builds social movements that respond to the needs and concerns of communities. Mutual Aid can also begin to create new realities, serving as both a path toward individual freedom and as a creative incubator of new ways of relating to and caring for one another.

"Mutual aid gives people a way to plug into movements based on their immediate concerns, and it produces social spaces where people grow new solidarities. At its best, mutual aid actually produces new ways of living where people get to create systems of care and generosity that address harm and foster well-being." — Dean Spade

Together, we take care of each other in Santa Fe.

We are still working on building this website so information and functions will be continually updated!

What We're Up To!

At Burrito Brigade, we’re committed to building community care in Santa Fe and showing up for our neighbors through food, mutual aid, and collective action.
Here’s what we’re working on right now:

Weekly Cooking & Distribution

Every weekend our volunteers cook burritos on Saturdays, then bring those meals directly to our community on Sundays. These distributions focus on meeting people where they are and sharing nourishment, respect, and connection with folks experiencing food insecurity across Santa Fe.

Mutual aid is for everyone, with many ways to be involved. You can sign up for a cooking shift through our Discord, where we share weekly details and coordination. You are also welcome at Sunday distribution at De Vargas Skate Park at 10am. If you are in need of food or support, please come by. Whether cooking, volunteering, or receiving food, all are welcome!

New Wednesday Cook Day

We’ve added a new cook day on Wednesdays!!
Meals prepared on Wednesdays are delivered to the Reunity Resources Community Fridge and Pantry, a free, 24/7 mutual aid food access point in Santa Fe that operates on no-questions-asked principles.

Community Fridge Donation Guidelines:

  • Donate food only, including ready-to-eat meals, pantry staples, and fresh produce

  • Label all items with ingredients and the date prepared

  • Place fresh items in the refrigerator and pantry items on shelves

  • Do not donate items that are expired, opened, or partially eaten

  • High-need items include peanut butter, eggs, dairy, pasta, and oil or butter

We’re proud to partner with Reunity Resources to help keep this resource stocked and cared for. It’s a grassroots effort that helps neighbors access food with dignity.

Winter Gear Drive

Every weekend our volunteers cook burritos on Saturdays, then bring those meals directly to our community on Sundays. These distributions focus on meeting people where they are and sharing nourishment, respect, and connection with folks experiencing food insecurity across Santa Fe.

Need More Support?

If you or someone you know needs additional food support or help accessing resources, fill out the form below and we’ll connect you with what you need.

By getting involved, you’re helping to build a network of care across Santa Fe that can respond to crises, meet daily needs, and reimagine what community support looks like.

Volunteer Opportunities

Mutual aid is about being part of the solution and building relationships across communities.
Here you can find ongoing and one-time volunteer opportunities around Santa Fe. Whether you can cook, deliver, organize, fundraise, or just show up — there’s a role for everyone.

Community Needs & Donations

Money is one of the most effective ways to help — it allows groups to buy supplies in bulk and respond quickly to needs. Donations to Burrito Brigade support our work and are also shared with other mutual aid groups across Santa Fe.

We also keep an updated list of needed items like nonperishable food, hygiene supplies, warm clothing, and camping gear — along with drop-off locations and distribution sites.

Items that are needed the most:

  • First item

  • Second item

  • Third item

Start Mutual Aid in Your Neighborhood!

You don’t have to wait for others to care for your neighbors.
This section offers simple guides and examples for how to start small — like setting up a free pantry, organizing a meal share, or coordinating a clothing swap in your community.

How to Start A Free Pantry in Your Yard

Get More Involved in Burrito Brigade!

Want to help cook, pack, or deliver burritos? Have a car, kitchen, or connection that could help our work grow? Fill out the form below to get involved with Burrito Brigade directly.

Share & Connect

We’re stronger when we share what’s happening across Santa Fe. If your organization has resources, upcoming events, or specific needs, let us know so we can include them on this site and help more people get connected.

You can also reach out directly if you’d like to collaborate on mutual aid projects, host a community meal, or share distribution efforts.

Share & Connect

We’re stronger when we share what’s happening across Santa Fe.
If your organization has resources, upcoming events, or specific needs, let us know so we can include them on this site and help more people get connected.

Stay Connected with Burrito Brigade

Have a question, want to get involved, or just want to stay in the loop? Use the form below to contact us or sign up for our newsletter. We’ll share updates about community meals, volunteer opportunities, and local mutual aid efforts.

Learn More & Take Action!

Mutual aid is about everyday people caring for one another and meeting needs directly. This page gathers resources to help you learn more about the history and principles of mutual aid, along with simple guides for starting small projects in your own neighborhood — from free pantries to clothing swaps to community meals.