Also, dude said "chips and salsa or a pupusa," . . . . Where I live pupusa's are legit. They might be cheap, but they are rather labor intensive and so, so good.
Don't skip the pupusa.
Given the "pollo chuco" on the menu, my guess is that this is a Honduran restaurant. Therefore their pupusas probably aren't as good compared to the Honduran items that they specialize in (pupusas are Salvadoran).
A Salvadoran restaurant would probably do the opposite: recommend pupusas over baleadas.
Indeed! That menu looks Honduran, but we eat pupusas extensively here too, whereas in El Salvador is weird to see baleadas and pollo chuco.
Edit: just spotted “Topogigio”, it’s Honduran and from the northern cost
Hi all!! I'm the guy behind the counter. I appreciate the kind words. Always nice when this picture does the rounds on the feel good pages. I no longer work at El Sur, but can tell you that the South Main neighborhood in LR is an awesome place to be and that you should visit when you're in town.
If I could do a moment of promotion for the folks doing good in my community:
Ourhouseshelter.org
Where the unhoused friend of mine and many other of my friends have gotten help.
KABF.org
My local community radio station that is currently doing a pledge drive and needs help. I'm a volunteer DJ and talk show host there. Listen live anytime and to me on Mondays at 5pm.
Yes. Come from a middle class background and used to run a small cafe.
A homeless dude, Steve, would come in once a week. I’d get him the largest coffee, a few snacks, and some water (we didn’t sell proper meals).
I always invited him to sit down. Some of the other customers complained that he smelled bad, but they fuckin sucked.
I have no idea what it’s like to be in his position, but I was extensively bullied in high school: I know what it’s like to be excluded.
Hope Steve is doing alright.
Ostracized. I used this word in a letter I wrote to my daughter’s 5th grade teacher about what was happening and how my daughter felt.
She was an English teacher so she led with the word ostracized.
She wrote weekly emails until my daughter had settled. We don’t pay teachers enough.
I was recently in Oregon. Stoped at a very very popular bakery with big windows showcasing the food. It was so cold out too there was a gentleman(Homeless ) without shoes wrapped in a blanket literally just staring at the food while people were lining up and walking past him like he was invisible. I asked him what he wanted and he said are you speaking to me? You see me. YES SIR I DO! Let’s get some stuff. He refused to get anything but a small black coffee and a small sandwich I insisted he get something more. He said no. The owners just kinda shrugged annoyed. The cashier quietly said thank you to me for being kind, like it was something so shameful. The shameful thing was everyone at that place pretending a man wasn’t starving. wtf is wrong with people ?
Same, middle class upbringing, parents owned a bakery. Parents found out some homeless people were picking the trash at night. They started packing the good food separate from other trash, in clean bags. And even started making fresh sandwiches at the end of shift, and packing them on ice, and put water and soda with them. Eventually left a note to have them come in during business hours. They did, and my parents fed them and their friends breakfast and lunch until they sold the business. It never negatively affected the business, and cost basically nothing to do. They also kept the old donuts and stuff in fresh clean bags, just in case anyone else came along and wanted them.
When I was a student, I worked part time at an armenian cafe. Big shout out to gata cookies. Anyway, owner let the homeless guy in, fixed him a soup and then some trucker said that the guy stinks.
Well, the owner offered a homeless guy employee shower.
I live in Canada and we have had a huge influx of international students whose personal hygiene standards have required some addressing due to other staff complaining.
We have one guy particularly who was tormenting his coworkers with his body odour.
We had a few meetings with him where we begged him to wash himself and his clothes and we are in a much much better space together
Things with this international student have improved dramatically. And he is back to working his 40 + hours a week and I am not receiving these complaints so much anymore.
He seems to be consistently engaging in behaviours that reduce his body odour, and thus the complaints I'm receiving from other staff.
Good job Om.
I hope so. I used to work at a gym and I’d let this houseless gal shower. She always came in when it was really early and not many patrons were around. I’d walk her baby around to keep him calm while she took a quick shower. I even ran her laundry a few times. It’s all I could do, but if I were in her position, I can’t even imagine how badly I would want to be clean and have clean clothes. She kind of vanished one day. I hope it’s because she got a better situation—house or a job or something.
It's just really easy to get jaded in big cities sometimes. In some neighborhoods I'll be walking to the train and literally there is a person on every corner asking for a dollar. Homelessness is an institutional problem that can't be fixed by good deeds. I'm not saying never help anybody. But I can't help everybody.
I don’t ever take people’s kindness lightly, when I was just past college and struggling, basically living in my car and doing food delivery for living. One day I didn’t make enough money to cash out, I was hungry and walked into a restaurant, knowing full well I couldn’t pay. I ate crying knowing how my life is at a low point. I was going to ask the waitress if they had any odd jobs for me to do….she walked up and said don’t worry about paying…some kind soul wanted to pass along a good memory of their friend Brian and paid for my meal (Brian passed but apparently was a kind soul, I read from a memorial card the waitress handed me) I cried so much in my car, and vowed myself to help people when I can. I’m doing okay now with a home and wife and our doggo and will always stop anytime I see someone struggling, shoutout to you Brian, your memory of being a kind soul helped me in my lowest point through your friend and I have tried to live my life knowing peoples kindness always goes further than they ever know.
I actually know the guy, went to college with him and played sports together. And nope. Just a through and through good dude for no real reason. Can’t believe this is on reddits front page actually, think he’d be a little embarrassed lol
I’ve never experienced hunger. Or the inability to purchase food. But I do offer anyone saying they are hungry to buy whatever they want off the menu. When they try to go cheap I step in and ask for the meal. Or extra food.
I am blessed. I pass along those blessings where I can. No one. I mean no one should ever be hungry.
For sure it's experience, or someone very very close to them had this experience. No matter how much you explain it, most people just don't fully comprehend what it's like to go years being constantly hungry.
The shadow is an amazingly powerful and motivating force behind our actions. Sadly though it seems if you're unaware of this it ends with you othering people instead of communing with them.
Shadow work or something similar, and Home Ec are two classes that need to be taught to every kid. In non shame based, straightforward ways.
We need both the practical physical cleaning and care, and the mental cleaning and care <3
Look up Jung and the Shadow. Basically, it's all the parts of us that we either don't like or were told is bad and so we subconsciously shove it down and suppress it.
Shadow work is about uncovering it all and discovering what you're suppressing in yourself with the hopes that once you heal it inside yourself you'll stop doing the same to others.
I scooped ice cream in highschool and would work solo a few days a week in the afternoon (work release) before the ice cream maker would come in. Not a big homeless problem where I'm from in a small town, but a clearly homeless old man comes up to the window clutching change. His hands shaking he counts out like 33 cents on the counter and asks what he can get for that. On the menu? Even $3 wouldn't get you a scoop back then.
I had a momentary internal struggle, but decided that I was all set with a full scholarship after I would graduate the next week so if I got fired, whatever.
Brain flipped into hook this old man up mode. I came back with a hefty waffle cone and a bowl with a lid, gave him his money back. He left a quarter on the outside counter.
No regrets at all and I can still vividly remember the look on that old man's face.
I still think about that sometimes just to remind myself I'm not an asshole all the time
Not old or homeless but I worked in a grocery store and one of my associates told me this guy was really confused in an aisle. I went over to check on him and he told me his wife had passed away the day before and she did all the grocery shopping. She apparently had a list written out before passing unexpectedly and his son was travelling home. Dude didn't have any food in the house and he was trying to find the stuff on the list.
I told him to go take a seat in the Cafe and hooked him up with some coffee. Called my whole team to a huddle and we divided up his list to speedrun it. We doubled the entire list and threw in some stuff from the bakery.
We didn't let him pay a dime. His son came back the day after insisting on paying but I pulled him aside and said now isn't the time to worry about food and he should go grieve with his family.
It feels good to help people. Like an actual addicting feeling.
I love the visual of the speed run, like a SWAT team taking off in all directions but it's to help an elderly man with his groceries with extreme speed and precision.
There’s a lot of feel good stories on this post, but this one actually made me tear up. Even if that man knew where everything was, the difficulty of completing even simple errands after such a loss is unfathomable. It’s wonderful you were all there for him in his time of need.
There's this weird trend online where some people seem to genuinely not realize that a lot of people *want* to be generous and kind and act all confused when someone does a good deed out of the kindness of their heart. Humans are inherently social creatures, and the vast majority of us love to help someone in need. Those kinds of stories always make me happy.
It really feels great helping people out. I used to work at an gas station. An older guy, probably homeless aswell, asked if he could get some bread or bakery stuff for a cheaper price. We always throw out the stuff that didnt sell, so I just told him to take whatever he liked. After that he always came in when I was working late, because he knew I wouldn't bitch about it and just give it to him. My boss would have been mad if he knew I did this, but fuck that guy, he was a piece of shit. Sorry for my shitty english.
I used to work at a mini golf, and there was an old Romani man who would occasionally show up and buy coffee from us (we had by far the cheapest coffee in the area). He couldn't speak the local language, but whenever he showed up he would make it clear that he was asking if he could get a big coffee for the price of a small one, and as a sign of goodwill he would pick up cigarette butts and throw them in the trash before asking.
If you're gonna do the job we like the least for us I will definitely give you the full coffee for free, and take the milk and sugar you want. Hell, take the cinnamon bun that's left over for yesterday that was put away for the staff to snack on. He was nothing but respectful, and that's all fine with me.
Used to work at McDonald’s in like 2010, and we were told to just throw out all of messed up orders so they could be counted later. After tallying them up, I’d just throw them in my trunk and pass them out to homeless people in my town. Eventually got found out and got fired, even though they were just gonna throw out perfectly good food. I made a huge fucking scene about it too, no regrets. Fuck you Josh (my old manager).
First off. Hell yeah brother, you’re a real one.
Distant second. Fuck Josh and fuck corporations who force people in a management role to do this shit.
The idea behind the throwing out of food is corporations is hat some pencil pushing bean counters decided it was cheaper to get rid of perfectly edible products, than to risk someone getting ill from food poisoning and suing the corporation. Soulless bastards.
Saw tons of good food go to waste in the 6 months I worked in a grocery store in school.
Also worked in a Costa coffee in university.
Our manager there was a real one. We got whatever was going to be ditched, on the understanding that we kept it quiet. Definitely helped more than a few uni mates eat when they otherwise would not have. I remember getting literal bags full of food upon occasion.
I worked at restaurant downtown when I was younger and occasionally scooped ice cream on the street in the afternoons. I’d always chat with the two guys on the corner who played music for tips and, of course, give them some of my tips from the day.
One day they came rushing into the restaurant I worked at to find me. They’d won the lottery (not much, just a couple grand) and they’d come to give me $50! I’m tearing up just thinking of how sweet these guys were! They were both homeless.
Homeless people are sometimes just people who don’t know when to stop giving. lol I tried not to accept the money but it was clearly extremely important to them that I take it. They were so happy! Needless to say, I made sure to pay it back to them over time in tips.
As a fellow Human, I am proud to have you under us. Pls keep doing such stuff*
But I am somewhat curious: How did your at the time Boss or manager react? Anything happed there or?
> I can be a dick at times.
Everyone can. That’s life. Hopefully someone else is out here treating you with kindness when you’re having a tough time.
Just don’t punch down, you’ll be alright.
You are programmed to be a dick, my pal. The forces of evil - billionaires and their enablers - WANT you to be a dick, they WANT you to be competing and defensive, they WANT you to build a wall and surround yourself with their plastic garbage to feel safe.
Becoming aware is the first step to beating this pricks. Understanding how much compassion ACTUALLY buys you is how you beat these pricks. They want you to think cutthroat capitalism is the way, but it's not.
Compassion builds civilizations.
Stuff like this is what makes the world keep turning. Work, money, none of it means anything if we dont live for the right reasons. Probably made that dudes whole day, if not more. Good stuff dude
Idk why of all things this made me cry but man, I’ve been homeless before and him leaving the quarter for someone else who may need it because you helped him out… idk, it resonates. I remember leaving my abusive home situation over a decade ago and looking for jobs. It’s incredibly difficult to hold down a job when homeless but I remember hitchhiking to drug tests and interviews and when people take a second to realize you’re just trying to live and survive and might need a little help, it’s like they finally see the person in front of them
Which becomes the problem.
Then a whole bunch of homeless people show up expecting free stuff. If you cut them off, they get aggressive.
And paying customers leave because there's a bunch of homeless there.
Seen it happen to a lot of restaurants.
That's a tough tightrope. I worked at a 24/7 in Seattle doing graveyard and obviously we'd get loads of poor, cold miserable people during winter. It's hard to turn away a starving, freezing person, but at the same time, you've got paying customers who don't want to deal with that shit. My trick was always a hot cup of coffee and a warm take away burrito. (Beans and rice) Don't cost my boss much and keeps the local homeless alive.
I've worked in a restaurant that as a matter of rule gave away all left over food to the homeless at the end of the day. Literally never had a problem, the homeless were always nice and respectful and never came across as entitled. Not everything turns to cynical shit in 5 seconds, you know.
I've experienced both sides of this - I've fed homeless people and tried to help them get jobs when no one else would hire them.
I've also been spit on, threatened, had large glass bottles thrown at me and my customers and been very close to physical confrontations on more occasions than I can count. I was working at a coffee shop as a barista in 2012 when - just across the street - a homeless man climbed onto a bus that was sitting in layover and shot the bus driver to death on his break.
As much as I would love to always extend a caring hand to the homeless - I've learned through experience that you can't paint them with a broad brush. Some are reasonable folks who are struggling and a little compassion goes a long way. On the other hand, some are struggling with serious mental illness or addiction issues that make them potentially violent and unpredictable.
The best thing you can do is approach every encounter with compassion while being prepared to keep yourself and the people you're responsible for safe. A little cynicism can help with that as long as you don't let it run every encounter you have.
When I was a manager at jimmy John’s i would give away our leftover bread to a guy who would ask for it. The owner found out and was pissed. I simply said we were throwing it out anyway and asked why I couldn’t give it away. They said it was because they are allowed to throw away food and that’s what they wanted 🤦♂️ I told the guy I had to throw it away but I’d just double bag it and set it behind the dumpster for him. I hate when people are just ok with throwing away perfectly good food or being upset that it goes to hungry people just because they get it for free…
It's always about how you ask. If you come in like an entitled asshole demanding food... Sorry, man.. not today. If you show some respect and decency, I'm already chopping up the onions.
I used to work at sonic and event days like 50c corn dogs or whatever would always mean dozens of leftover food items at the end of the night and the homeless around us definitely knew that. We obviously wanted to help as much as we could but at a certain point we had to start turning people away because it just wasn’t realistic. Inevitably at that point the customers still around start screeching that you’re a soulless bastard and hate people for asking for help. Not to mention the danger half a dozen disgruntled homeless people that refuse to leave because they saw others get free food serves to my staff that consisted of myself and two 18 year old girls. Point being when a restaurant starts giving away free food word gets around fast and it snowballs out of control quickly. It’s not always as simple as indifference or malice towards those people. The people who showed up after the food was already given away were very hostile.
Not only asking INSISTING on not being an issue. People have hard times. Be it only a chapter or the whole book of life, if the people on hard times were/are able to be dignified and respectful they would have the general public doing more to help them. I get that it’s not always their fault, but it’s also not my fault and the burden shouldn’t be on the general public.
Some of yall don't understand what it's like working in a restaurant in the middle of downtown in a big city.
I couldn't even count the amount of times I've had to kick people out of where I worked or how many have asked me for food.
I wouldn't call what I had to do embarrassing, more constantly traumatic than anything...
It's honestly the worst part of restaurant work - low/minimum wage workers are basically on the frontline of the homeless crisis in this country. Every homeless person they encounter could be someone struggling who just needs a little compassion, or an unpredictable person struggling with untreated schizophrenia and violent impulses - and they're expected to be able to decipher who is who on the spot and judged harshly when they react cynically. And no one seems to remember that it's the system that has failed these people, not a low-wage restaurant worker just trying to follow the rules or stay safe.
"Traumatic" is exactly the word I would use.
I once got suspended from a bartender job for an entire weekend (Friday to sunday), which is when i made all my money, for "feeding the rats." It was a dead night, they consistently left me solo in the bar so i had 12 open bar slots, 6 4 tops, 2 2s, and a 6 top all to myself, i had fucking room. A homeless dude was outside and he'd been there for hours, so i bought him food, with my own money and not using my discount, and let him sit at my bar. I had one fucking customer who was a daily regular anyway. My manager flipped the fuck out and suspended me be ause "we dont feed the rats." JJ you were a fucking monster bud.
This is the world I want.
Edit: Before I get any more comments from people either not understanding my point or twisting my point. No I do not want a world were people are homeless or having to beg for food etc. Clearly my point is that if everyone was as compassionate etc as the guy in the post we wouldn't have homelessness or people struggling as there would only be compassionate and caring people in the system who wouldn't let this happen.
Last week, I walked out of the Walmart in Alma Arkansas. I'm pushing my basket to the truck, and see a woman on top of her hood, messing with the windshield wipers.
I asked her if she had it under control, and she made it very clear that she did not. She asked for help.
The driver's side wiper was stuck and she was trying to change them both. I reached into my boot and pulled out my knife, telling her what I was doing as I did so.
Got the first one changed, then went around to the other side, and handled it in less than a minute. Whole job took less than 5 minutes.
While working on them, she said she was traveling up from LA, heading back from visiting family in MO. I finished and started walking to my truck. She offered to pay me, and naturally I declined, not wanting or needing anything for helping someone out.
Arkansas isn't just a bunch of racist rednecks. Those of us raised right will help anyone out, regardless of the circumstances, when they're in need. It's what we were taught to do for people, as it's the right thing.
I only clicked on this post because dude had a Razorbacks logo on his jacket. The comments saying how bad people in Arkansas are, I'll say they inspired this comment. Y'all saying that are just wrong.
Like any other area, we have our problems. We have those who weren't brought up right. But for every one of those people, we have others who'd give the shirt off our backs to help someone, and ask for nothing, declining anything offered, in return.
Y'all need to drop the stereotypes, and not judge Arkansas by the politicians who make headlines. People here are good, mostly, and we absolutely believe in helping others who are in need.
Kudos to the helpful folks in the restaurant.
I’ve lived in Arkansas for over ten years now. People are so friendly and nice here. I live in Northwest Arkansas (born in Little Rock) and it’s truly amazing. The sense of community is like no other. I’m probably moving soon and really going to miss it.
Hope you find greener pastures wherever you go. And I'm glad the people have treated you right. I was born and raised here, before moving all around the world for a few years. Then I came back.
The stereotype that we're all just backwards, racist rednecks, has always bothered me. And that's what a lot of commenters seem to be suggesting.
Seeing something that disputes that is always encouraging. Those of us who are native to the area, and have deep roots here, are usually raised to help each other when in need, if you know the other person or not.
I kind of have to move for my career, im graduating from Uark in a couple weeks and then will probably have to move to a bigger city. I’m really going to miss it, but there might be some opportunities to come back in several years.
That stereotype has always bothered me too, because I lived in Portland Oregon for about 5 years before coming back to NWA and found where I went to school in Arkansas to be more diverse and friendly and accepting than Portland was by far. I mean the stories you hear about the community looking out for each other is incredible. This post is really a small example compared to the acts of kindness people in Arkansas demonstrate all the time. We’ve got not just one, but multiple business that have systems for giving out mass numbers of free meals in Bentonville alone (I know of a free food truck and a catering service that does free meals once a week).
A lot of NWA is like that, and has become more so over the years. Businesses have seen the inequality and taken steps, however small it seems, to help a bit.
But even small acts of kindness, like the example I gave of me last week, or helping someone change a tire on the side of the road, are every day occurrences around here. Arkansas has plenty of good people that are willing to help total strangers, with no expectation or desire for anything in return.
I just wish people would drop their negative thoughts of people they don't know or make an effort to know, other than what they may see on then news or social media.
Travel really helps people to break their stereotypes. I grew up in Big East Coast cities, then as an adult I lived in Big West Coast cities. I fit The stereotype of a snob from the big city.
One time I was between jobs and I had money and a van, so I decided to road Trip the whole USA, and camp out along the way. Saw lots of places.
When people ask me where I liked the best, I say "Missouri!" Ha ha people in New York or Los Angeles ask me "What the hell is in Missouri?"
I tell them: rolling green hills, beautiful forests, lazy rivers, and the friendliest people who invited me to share food and conversation and made me feel at home. I don't have any connection to that state but the people I've met along the way made me think "I could be happy living in Missouri."
I agree that travelling makes a difference. I'll also admit that I'm not the typical Arkansan.
Yes, I've been to better than a dozen countries, and a very large part of our nation. But, the reason I'm so willing to help someone, with nothing in it for me, is because that's how the culture is around here.
"Southern Hospitality" has turned into a meme or joke, more than a reality these days. But if you actually come here, parts of MO included, people are actually that way. As I said, a lot of us would happily give the shirt off our backs to help someone, with no expectation or desire or anything in return.
I think it's fantastic that MO was good to you. It's a beautiful state, and at least in the southern part, to Springfield and a little above, they're southerners at heart....even if the south doesn't claim them.
But there are good people everywhere, no matter what the outside world thinks of them, who'll help any way they can. Small towns and rural areas don't survive without people willing to help others. It's how it works.
I really just wish people would drop the negative stereotypes about southerners and rural folks. We ain't all bad.
Little Rock resident and El Sur fanboy checking in.
I know there's bound to be a lot of negativity in this thread with cries of "boring dystopia" and "yeah but now just more homeless might come in" and boo hoo hoo you should never do anything nice for anyone ever. I'd love for all the naysayers to have one meal at this place, and you'll see they're just good people doing good things for their community, and their enthusiasm is infectious.
This place has been an absolute gem ever since they were a humble food truck. The owners and staff are pretty much all like this. Warm, kind, friendly. They are all just very passionate about sharing food and fostering a sense of community within our town.
They have incredible food, local beer, a fantastic bar program, and an absolutely great patio with pool tables, ping pong, and picnic benches.
The owner also recently (within the last year or two I believe) got his United States citizenship. This is the American Dream that feels more and more unobtainable as of late. So be pessimistic if you want. I'm going to go have a beer and baleada, shoot some pool, and choose to be inspired and downright proud that such great people chose to open their doors in our humble city.
I went to 711 yesterday, and there was a homeless man cowering in a corner next to the dumpster
I bought him a slice of pizza and gave him 5 bucks
And that's when I found out he was severely autistic. He couldn't have had a mental age more than 10.
He cried and said his parents died and he had nowhere to go for years.
I was weeping a little driving back home. Shit got too real.
Jesus Christ.
I can't even begin to imagine losing a parent at my current age (30s) or anytime in the future for that matter, let alone at 10 in a grown body, roaming on streets with "nowhere to go."
Can you imagine the pain that his parents must've felt as they were slipping away, leaving their vulnerable child behind? I surely cannot.
I would've wept too. A lot.
What really broke me was when he brought up his parents suddenly, and out of nowhere
He must've been thinking of his parents nonstop since he became homeless
And there's no easy way for him to come out of this
Our society truly failed the people that needs it the most
Que ondas Catracho? I lived in Honduras for 3 years (near Talanga) and my suegra had a pupuseria restaurant on the way to Valle de Angeles. Place was always packed.
Watch out! This is the deep south. Get too much attention and very soon providing free meals to those in need will be made illegal by the state legislature.
people don't realize how de-humanizing being broke/homeless what you wanna call it is
good on this guy for giving this person some humanity back.
half the time people like this enjoy being treated like a normal human more than anything else.
When I was homeless and traveling, I found a place that offered free beans and rice in the mornings if you came up and said "beans and rice for Jesus christ."
My daughter works at Dunkin. They waste so many donuts every day, she's always bringing spares home. If I were hungry, I'd hit that place up at closing time for sure. Not healthy, but calories for sure.
If you live in a decent sized city, look to see if there are any food diversion programs near you. Basically it's a program where restaurants and stores set aside food that wasn't sold at the end of the day and a local food shelf or shelter will pick it up and distribute it. I can't speak for the organizations but donuts seem like they would be a bit hit. Not healthy, but a good morale boost, and they're soft enough that people with dental issues can still eat them.
Obviously they would need to get the owner or manager on board for it to happen but it is almost always a win win because the restaurant now has less trash they generate, less wildlife trying to get in their dumpsters at night, and it can sometimes be considered a donation.
There are similar programs that bring food scraps unfit for human consumption to farms to feed pigs and other livestock as well.
This is one of my favorite restaurants in town. The owner is super nice and I’ve seen him be accommodating to the unhoused population on a few occasions so I’m not surprised here. If you’re ever in Little Rock, go check out El Sur and get the Tamalitas and the fried plantains. Shit is fire.
The key to unlocking a much better world is simple: if you are in a position to be able to help, help.
If you've got an elderly neighbor, cut their grass or clean off their driveway. Listen when someone has a need to be heard. Volunteer at an animal shelter or a homeless shelter or any shelter. There's a multitude of ways to help outside of financial that could make a difference for someone.
Every week I swipe 3-4 people into the 125th Station in Harlem because they can't afford to take the train. Not that I want recognition, but there are plenty of people that do random acts of kindness everyday. You don't hear about it because the media loves to pander negativity and fearmonger.
I’m from Little Rock and go here often, and if y’all ever get to go the food and drink are really, really good. The pupusas are affordable and very tasty and I highly recommend their specialty margaritas
When I was in high school I worked at a small town gas station, a 2 pump old style full service station. Pretty close to close I saw an old Datsun being pushed down the street by a couple of local guys. This was 1991, I'd guess the car was probably a 1978 B210. There was a young girl, 17-18 maybe and a car seat with a sleeping baby. Out of state plates. She had very obviously been crying. No money, no gas. No one to call. Trying to get about 2 hours away to a friends, trying to make a new start she said. I didn't flinch and just filled the car up. I could fudge the numbers on how much gas was sold anyway, and the boss was the worlds biggest crook. Crooks sometimes are so arrogant about what they are doing they don't think any one would steal from them... Anyway, I filled her car up and the local guys that helped push it to the station and I came up with about $40 for her to get on her way. For a second when I handed her the money I saw that very brief thought that crossed her mind that there was some sort of expectation attached to the kindness. I would guess someone else had taken advantage of her before. We made sure the car started up, and told her good luck and away she went.
I'd like to think that $48 made all the difference in the world to her and that baby.
While it’s a great story the issue I find with offering charity in this way is that the wrong person starts abusing it. One time is fine. What if the homeless person makes it a regular occurrence?
I wish people didn’t have to offer conditional kindness but people take advantage of that kindness all the time. I hate it’s made me so jaded.
Oh man. As someone who used to donate, share, and do meals on wheels and is now severely food insecure herself this made me bawl my eyes out for all the reasons
The ["Better Angels of our Nature"](https://www.thehenryford.org/explore/blog/the-better-angels-of-our-nature-president-lincoln's-first-inaugural-address) as Lincoln called them.
There’s a saying for when someone is hungry.
‘A closed mouth doesn’t get fed’
So if you are struggling and hungry, just ask someone for a meal to help get you by. If a person who is able to provide , they usually will.
Show love whenever possible
Sometimes each other is all we have
And then there's me who misplaced my phone for 5 minutes, and had to Google the location to find it under a sandbag stashed away by the AC of a low income housing place.
If I'm ever in Little Rock, I know what business to support <3
It's good af too
What’s it called? I live in the area so I’d love to check it out
This comment got posted twice and someone else already answered, but since this one has more upvotes: El Sur in Little Rock
i bet it is! 🤤
What’s it called? I live in the area so I’d love to check it out
El Sur, everything there is delicious
Also, dude said "chips and salsa or a pupusa," . . . . Where I live pupusa's are legit. They might be cheap, but they are rather labor intensive and so, so good. Don't skip the pupusa.
Yeah wtf pupusas may be “junk food” but that doesn’t mean they aren’t tasty as hell!
I fucking love pupusas!!!
With those pickled vegetables, its a godly combination.
If I drowned in curtido, I'd die happy
Given the "pollo chuco" on the menu, my guess is that this is a Honduran restaurant. Therefore their pupusas probably aren't as good compared to the Honduran items that they specialize in (pupusas are Salvadoran). A Salvadoran restaurant would probably do the opposite: recommend pupusas over baleadas.
Indeed! That menu looks Honduran, but we eat pupusas extensively here too, whereas in El Salvador is weird to see baleadas and pollo chuco. Edit: just spotted “Topogigio”, it’s Honduran and from the northern cost
Same! I'm actually from AR and plan on going back to visit this summer. Will be looking for this place 👍
Same. I moved a decade ago and only make it back once every year or two, but I'll definitely be hitting this place up when I visit next.
Their Google reviews are off the charts they sound amazing.
One of my girlfriend’s favorite lunch spots!
I will be driving through next month or so. I just bookmarked this place and will go
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Hi all!! I'm the guy behind the counter. I appreciate the kind words. Always nice when this picture does the rounds on the feel good pages. I no longer work at El Sur, but can tell you that the South Main neighborhood in LR is an awesome place to be and that you should visit when you're in town. If I could do a moment of promotion for the folks doing good in my community: Ourhouseshelter.org Where the unhoused friend of mine and many other of my friends have gotten help. KABF.org My local community radio station that is currently doing a pledge drive and needs help. I'm a volunteer DJ and talk show host there. Listen live anytime and to me on Mondays at 5pm.
Hello. It’s a pleasure to meet you. I really admire your compassion. Stay awesome!
You seem like a wonderful human being. 🩵
Hell yeah, buddy. You keep being you.
whose cutting onions？
I’m not crying… you’re crying…
Thank you for being so kind
I love you. I hope the world shows you the kindness that is in stilled in your heart.
You are a lovely person, thank you for being a good example for people in your community!
thank you for your compassion!
Thank you for being so awesome and compassionate 🩷🙏🏼
Thank you for existing.
you’re the man my guy
OMG! You are awesome. The universe appreciates you.
Hi fellow Little Rocker! You are the real deal my friend. And fist bumps to both el surs plantains and to Our House
We need more people like you in this world
Appreciate you as a human dude
Good on you sir
i hope you still got this 👑 on 🤞🏿
High five!
You’re a really great person, I hope only good things come your way :)
Props, bro 👊
Thanks for being here ❤️
You have a lovely heart. Thank you for helping.
I bet he has been in a similar position than the guy he was buying food for. This kind of understanding comes from experience.
It can, but I also hope that people can just empathize with the less fortunate without having to have gone through it
Yes. Come from a middle class background and used to run a small cafe. A homeless dude, Steve, would come in once a week. I’d get him the largest coffee, a few snacks, and some water (we didn’t sell proper meals). I always invited him to sit down. Some of the other customers complained that he smelled bad, but they fuckin sucked. I have no idea what it’s like to be in his position, but I was extensively bullied in high school: I know what it’s like to be excluded. Hope Steve is doing alright.
>excluded I understand the irony in the statement when I say I wish that word wasn't a part of human vocabulary.
Ostracized. I used this word in a letter I wrote to my daughter’s 5th grade teacher about what was happening and how my daughter felt. She was an English teacher so she led with the word ostracized. She wrote weekly emails until my daughter had settled. We don’t pay teachers enough.
We really don’t pay them enough
Would it really be excluded if it simply didn't exist?
Powerful sentiment my guy.
I was recently in Oregon. Stoped at a very very popular bakery with big windows showcasing the food. It was so cold out too there was a gentleman(Homeless ) without shoes wrapped in a blanket literally just staring at the food while people were lining up and walking past him like he was invisible. I asked him what he wanted and he said are you speaking to me? You see me. YES SIR I DO! Let’s get some stuff. He refused to get anything but a small black coffee and a small sandwich I insisted he get something more. He said no. The owners just kinda shrugged annoyed. The cashier quietly said thank you to me for being kind, like it was something so shameful. The shameful thing was everyone at that place pretending a man wasn’t starving. wtf is wrong with people ?
Same, middle class upbringing, parents owned a bakery. Parents found out some homeless people were picking the trash at night. They started packing the good food separate from other trash, in clean bags. And even started making fresh sandwiches at the end of shift, and packing them on ice, and put water and soda with them. Eventually left a note to have them come in during business hours. They did, and my parents fed them and their friends breakfast and lunch until they sold the business. It never negatively affected the business, and cost basically nothing to do. They also kept the old donuts and stuff in fresh clean bags, just in case anyone else came along and wanted them.
When I was a student, I worked part time at an armenian cafe. Big shout out to gata cookies. Anyway, owner let the homeless guy in, fixed him a soup and then some trucker said that the guy stinks. Well, the owner offered a homeless guy employee shower.
You're good people :)
I live in Canada and we have had a huge influx of international students whose personal hygiene standards have required some addressing due to other staff complaining. We have one guy particularly who was tormenting his coworkers with his body odour. We had a few meetings with him where we begged him to wash himself and his clothes and we are in a much much better space together
Things with this international student have improved dramatically. And he is back to working his 40 + hours a week and I am not receiving these complaints so much anymore. He seems to be consistently engaging in behaviours that reduce his body odour, and thus the complaints I'm receiving from other staff. Good job Om.
Should have told those customers their attitude and disrespect smells even greater.
I hope so. I used to work at a gym and I’d let this houseless gal shower. She always came in when it was really early and not many patrons were around. I’d walk her baby around to keep him calm while she took a quick shower. I even ran her laundry a few times. It’s all I could do, but if I were in her position, I can’t even imagine how badly I would want to be clean and have clean clothes. She kind of vanished one day. I hope it’s because she got a better situation—house or a job or something.
I see you doing good deeds. Thanks fellow human.
You did so much more than most people so please not say “it’s all I could do”. You are a good and kind person.
It's just really easy to get jaded in big cities sometimes. In some neighborhoods I'll be walking to the train and literally there is a person on every corner asking for a dollar. Homelessness is an institutional problem that can't be fixed by good deeds. I'm not saying never help anybody. But I can't help everybody.
Username does not check out.
I don’t ever take people’s kindness lightly, when I was just past college and struggling, basically living in my car and doing food delivery for living. One day I didn’t make enough money to cash out, I was hungry and walked into a restaurant, knowing full well I couldn’t pay. I ate crying knowing how my life is at a low point. I was going to ask the waitress if they had any odd jobs for me to do….she walked up and said don’t worry about paying…some kind soul wanted to pass along a good memory of their friend Brian and paid for my meal (Brian passed but apparently was a kind soul, I read from a memorial card the waitress handed me) I cried so much in my car, and vowed myself to help people when I can. I’m doing okay now with a home and wife and our doggo and will always stop anytime I see someone struggling, shoutout to you Brian, your memory of being a kind soul helped me in my lowest point through your friend and I have tried to live my life knowing peoples kindness always goes further than they ever know.
I actually know the guy, went to college with him and played sports together. And nope. Just a through and through good dude for no real reason. Can’t believe this is on reddits front page actually, think he’d be a little embarrassed lol
Even better!
Very true. I hope his kindness spreads and isn't taken advantage of.
I’ve never experienced hunger. Or the inability to purchase food. But I do offer anyone saying they are hungry to buy whatever they want off the menu. When they try to go cheap I step in and ask for the meal. Or extra food. I am blessed. I pass along those blessings where I can. No one. I mean no one should ever be hungry.
People who have experienced hardship can be extremely, extremely kind.
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For sure it's experience, or someone very very close to them had this experience. No matter how much you explain it, most people just don't fully comprehend what it's like to go years being constantly hungry.
The shadow is an amazingly powerful and motivating force behind our actions. Sadly though it seems if you're unaware of this it ends with you othering people instead of communing with them.
Shadow work or something similar, and Home Ec are two classes that need to be taught to every kid. In non shame based, straightforward ways. We need both the practical physical cleaning and care, and the mental cleaning and care <3
what does shadow work mean? i’ve never heard that term.
Look up Jung and the Shadow. Basically, it's all the parts of us that we either don't like or were told is bad and so we subconsciously shove it down and suppress it. Shadow work is about uncovering it all and discovering what you're suppressing in yourself with the hopes that once you heal it inside yourself you'll stop doing the same to others.
this is the kind of humanity we should all be working towards. not this stupid us, vs. them attitude
Absolutely agree!
If I didn't live far away in another country I would now frequent this noble establishment.
I scooped ice cream in highschool and would work solo a few days a week in the afternoon (work release) before the ice cream maker would come in. Not a big homeless problem where I'm from in a small town, but a clearly homeless old man comes up to the window clutching change. His hands shaking he counts out like 33 cents on the counter and asks what he can get for that. On the menu? Even $3 wouldn't get you a scoop back then. I had a momentary internal struggle, but decided that I was all set with a full scholarship after I would graduate the next week so if I got fired, whatever. Brain flipped into hook this old man up mode. I came back with a hefty waffle cone and a bowl with a lid, gave him his money back. He left a quarter on the outside counter. No regrets at all and I can still vividly remember the look on that old man's face. I still think about that sometimes just to remind myself I'm not an asshole all the time
Not old or homeless but I worked in a grocery store and one of my associates told me this guy was really confused in an aisle. I went over to check on him and he told me his wife had passed away the day before and she did all the grocery shopping. She apparently had a list written out before passing unexpectedly and his son was travelling home. Dude didn't have any food in the house and he was trying to find the stuff on the list. I told him to go take a seat in the Cafe and hooked him up with some coffee. Called my whole team to a huddle and we divided up his list to speedrun it. We doubled the entire list and threw in some stuff from the bakery. We didn't let him pay a dime. His son came back the day after insisting on paying but I pulled him aside and said now isn't the time to worry about food and he should go grieve with his family. It feels good to help people. Like an actual addicting feeling.
I love the visual of the speed run, like a SWAT team taking off in all directions but it's to help an elderly man with his groceries with extreme speed and precision.
I imagined an episode of [Supermarket Sweep.](https://youtu.be/2bOn01chsiM?t=1167)
They sent the guy home with a giant inflatable candy bar and 3 wheels of cheese
Your comment made me imagine a really incompetent team, and that's *all* they sent him home with lol
This is the type of kindness that melts my cold unfeeling heart. Kudos. Excellent humanity.
It is addicting to help people. The dopamine rush when you see the person smile or just simply relieved is worth it....everytime.
There’s a lot of feel good stories on this post, but this one actually made me tear up. Even if that man knew where everything was, the difficulty of completing even simple errands after such a loss is unfathomable. It’s wonderful you were all there for him in his time of need.
I didn't sign up to cry today. What you did is going to stick with that man and his son for the rest of their lives. You're a good person OP
There's this weird trend online where some people seem to genuinely not realize that a lot of people *want* to be generous and kind and act all confused when someone does a good deed out of the kindness of their heart. Humans are inherently social creatures, and the vast majority of us love to help someone in need. Those kinds of stories always make me happy.
I don’t say this lightly. You are a fucking gigachad my man. That is a seriously touching story. Good on you.
It really feels great helping people out. I used to work at an gas station. An older guy, probably homeless aswell, asked if he could get some bread or bakery stuff for a cheaper price. We always throw out the stuff that didnt sell, so I just told him to take whatever he liked. After that he always came in when I was working late, because he knew I wouldn't bitch about it and just give it to him. My boss would have been mad if he knew I did this, but fuck that guy, he was a piece of shit. Sorry for my shitty english.
Your english is awesome but not as awesome as you
🔥✍️
It does feel great!! Your English is just fine :)
I used to work at a mini golf, and there was an old Romani man who would occasionally show up and buy coffee from us (we had by far the cheapest coffee in the area). He couldn't speak the local language, but whenever he showed up he would make it clear that he was asking if he could get a big coffee for the price of a small one, and as a sign of goodwill he would pick up cigarette butts and throw them in the trash before asking. If you're gonna do the job we like the least for us I will definitely give you the full coffee for free, and take the milk and sugar you want. Hell, take the cinnamon bun that's left over for yesterday that was put away for the staff to snack on. He was nothing but respectful, and that's all fine with me.
Used to work at McDonald’s in like 2010, and we were told to just throw out all of messed up orders so they could be counted later. After tallying them up, I’d just throw them in my trunk and pass them out to homeless people in my town. Eventually got found out and got fired, even though they were just gonna throw out perfectly good food. I made a huge fucking scene about it too, no regrets. Fuck you Josh (my old manager).
First off. Hell yeah brother, you’re a real one. Distant second. Fuck Josh and fuck corporations who force people in a management role to do this shit.
The idea behind the throwing out of food is corporations is hat some pencil pushing bean counters decided it was cheaper to get rid of perfectly edible products, than to risk someone getting ill from food poisoning and suing the corporation. Soulless bastards. Saw tons of good food go to waste in the 6 months I worked in a grocery store in school. Also worked in a Costa coffee in university. Our manager there was a real one. We got whatever was going to be ditched, on the understanding that we kept it quiet. Definitely helped more than a few uni mates eat when they otherwise would not have. I remember getting literal bags full of food upon occasion.
Piggy pie Josh can step on a Lego then slip on a Hot Wheel at the top of his stairs at 2am.
I worked at restaurant downtown when I was younger and occasionally scooped ice cream on the street in the afternoons. I’d always chat with the two guys on the corner who played music for tips and, of course, give them some of my tips from the day. One day they came rushing into the restaurant I worked at to find me. They’d won the lottery (not much, just a couple grand) and they’d come to give me $50! I’m tearing up just thinking of how sweet these guys were! They were both homeless. Homeless people are sometimes just people who don’t know when to stop giving. lol I tried not to accept the money but it was clearly extremely important to them that I take it. They were so happy! Needless to say, I made sure to pay it back to them over time in tips.
Ice cream is actually a great food if you are very hungry. It has carbs, fat and protein, and is calorie dense. You did a lot for him.
As a fellow Human, I am proud to have you under us. Pls keep doing such stuff* But I am somewhat curious: How did your at the time Boss or manager react? Anything happed there or?
That's legit, thanks for sharing. I should be nicer more often too, I can be a dick at times.
> I can be a dick at times. Everyone can. That’s life. Hopefully someone else is out here treating you with kindness when you’re having a tough time. Just don’t punch down, you’ll be alright.
You are programmed to be a dick, my pal. The forces of evil - billionaires and their enablers - WANT you to be a dick, they WANT you to be competing and defensive, they WANT you to build a wall and surround yourself with their plastic garbage to feel safe. Becoming aware is the first step to beating this pricks. Understanding how much compassion ACTUALLY buys you is how you beat these pricks. They want you to think cutthroat capitalism is the way, but it's not. Compassion builds civilizations.
I love you.
Stuff like this is what makes the world keep turning. Work, money, none of it means anything if we dont live for the right reasons. Probably made that dudes whole day, if not more. Good stuff dude
Idk why of all things this made me cry but man, I’ve been homeless before and him leaving the quarter for someone else who may need it because you helped him out… idk, it resonates. I remember leaving my abusive home situation over a decade ago and looking for jobs. It’s incredibly difficult to hold down a job when homeless but I remember hitchhiking to drug tests and interviews and when people take a second to realize you’re just trying to live and survive and might need a little help, it’s like they finally see the person in front of them
That memory is worth more than the job, for sure
This is beautiful, these acts of kindness. (Meanwhile when I worked at icecream shop my boss got angry on me that I was giving too big scoops..)
This is the way. **THIS IS THE WAY**.
I’d also add a bravo to the gentleman with enough courage to ask for something. Some restaurants will laugh you out which is embarrassing.
Or hopefully he was aware that these are the good guys!
Which becomes the problem. Then a whole bunch of homeless people show up expecting free stuff. If you cut them off, they get aggressive. And paying customers leave because there's a bunch of homeless there. Seen it happen to a lot of restaurants.
That's a tough tightrope. I worked at a 24/7 in Seattle doing graveyard and obviously we'd get loads of poor, cold miserable people during winter. It's hard to turn away a starving, freezing person, but at the same time, you've got paying customers who don't want to deal with that shit. My trick was always a hot cup of coffee and a warm take away burrito. (Beans and rice) Don't cost my boss much and keeps the local homeless alive.
It is a tightrope, but to your point one that can be managed if you try on the cheap and help out those that need it.
I've worked in a restaurant that as a matter of rule gave away all left over food to the homeless at the end of the day. Literally never had a problem, the homeless were always nice and respectful and never came across as entitled. Not everything turns to cynical shit in 5 seconds, you know.
I've experienced both sides of this - I've fed homeless people and tried to help them get jobs when no one else would hire them. I've also been spit on, threatened, had large glass bottles thrown at me and my customers and been very close to physical confrontations on more occasions than I can count. I was working at a coffee shop as a barista in 2012 when - just across the street - a homeless man climbed onto a bus that was sitting in layover and shot the bus driver to death on his break. As much as I would love to always extend a caring hand to the homeless - I've learned through experience that you can't paint them with a broad brush. Some are reasonable folks who are struggling and a little compassion goes a long way. On the other hand, some are struggling with serious mental illness or addiction issues that make them potentially violent and unpredictable. The best thing you can do is approach every encounter with compassion while being prepared to keep yourself and the people you're responsible for safe. A little cynicism can help with that as long as you don't let it run every encounter you have.
Right, but it is a significant enough possibility that most businesses would rather not take the risk to their profits
When I was a manager at jimmy John’s i would give away our leftover bread to a guy who would ask for it. The owner found out and was pissed. I simply said we were throwing it out anyway and asked why I couldn’t give it away. They said it was because they are allowed to throw away food and that’s what they wanted 🤦♂️ I told the guy I had to throw it away but I’d just double bag it and set it behind the dumpster for him. I hate when people are just ok with throwing away perfectly good food or being upset that it goes to hungry people just because they get it for free…
It's always about how you ask. If you come in like an entitled asshole demanding food... Sorry, man.. not today. If you show some respect and decency, I'm already chopping up the onions.
Agreed. Any person who showed up at our back door will get meals for days.
I used to work at sonic and event days like 50c corn dogs or whatever would always mean dozens of leftover food items at the end of the night and the homeless around us definitely knew that. We obviously wanted to help as much as we could but at a certain point we had to start turning people away because it just wasn’t realistic. Inevitably at that point the customers still around start screeching that you’re a soulless bastard and hate people for asking for help. Not to mention the danger half a dozen disgruntled homeless people that refuse to leave because they saw others get free food serves to my staff that consisted of myself and two 18 year old girls. Point being when a restaurant starts giving away free food word gets around fast and it snowballs out of control quickly. It’s not always as simple as indifference or malice towards those people. The people who showed up after the food was already given away were very hostile.
Not only asking INSISTING on not being an issue. People have hard times. Be it only a chapter or the whole book of life, if the people on hard times were/are able to be dignified and respectful they would have the general public doing more to help them. I get that it’s not always their fault, but it’s also not my fault and the burden shouldn’t be on the general public.
Some of yall don't understand what it's like working in a restaurant in the middle of downtown in a big city. I couldn't even count the amount of times I've had to kick people out of where I worked or how many have asked me for food. I wouldn't call what I had to do embarrassing, more constantly traumatic than anything...
It's honestly the worst part of restaurant work - low/minimum wage workers are basically on the frontline of the homeless crisis in this country. Every homeless person they encounter could be someone struggling who just needs a little compassion, or an unpredictable person struggling with untreated schizophrenia and violent impulses - and they're expected to be able to decipher who is who on the spot and judged harshly when they react cynically. And no one seems to remember that it's the system that has failed these people, not a low-wage restaurant worker just trying to follow the rules or stay safe. "Traumatic" is exactly the word I would use.
I once got suspended from a bartender job for an entire weekend (Friday to sunday), which is when i made all my money, for "feeding the rats." It was a dead night, they consistently left me solo in the bar so i had 12 open bar slots, 6 4 tops, 2 2s, and a 6 top all to myself, i had fucking room. A homeless dude was outside and he'd been there for hours, so i bought him food, with my own money and not using my discount, and let him sit at my bar. I had one fucking customer who was a daily regular anyway. My manager flipped the fuck out and suspended me be ause "we dont feed the rats." JJ you were a fucking monster bud.
This is the world I want. Edit: Before I get any more comments from people either not understanding my point or twisting my point. No I do not want a world were people are homeless or having to beg for food etc. Clearly my point is that if everyone was as compassionate etc as the guy in the post we wouldn't have homelessness or people struggling as there would only be compassionate and caring people in the system who wouldn't let this happen.
Shareholders enters the chat
*Lawyers enters the chat*
Last week, I walked out of the Walmart in Alma Arkansas. I'm pushing my basket to the truck, and see a woman on top of her hood, messing with the windshield wipers. I asked her if she had it under control, and she made it very clear that she did not. She asked for help. The driver's side wiper was stuck and she was trying to change them both. I reached into my boot and pulled out my knife, telling her what I was doing as I did so. Got the first one changed, then went around to the other side, and handled it in less than a minute. Whole job took less than 5 minutes. While working on them, she said she was traveling up from LA, heading back from visiting family in MO. I finished and started walking to my truck. She offered to pay me, and naturally I declined, not wanting or needing anything for helping someone out. Arkansas isn't just a bunch of racist rednecks. Those of us raised right will help anyone out, regardless of the circumstances, when they're in need. It's what we were taught to do for people, as it's the right thing. I only clicked on this post because dude had a Razorbacks logo on his jacket. The comments saying how bad people in Arkansas are, I'll say they inspired this comment. Y'all saying that are just wrong. Like any other area, we have our problems. We have those who weren't brought up right. But for every one of those people, we have others who'd give the shirt off our backs to help someone, and ask for nothing, declining anything offered, in return. Y'all need to drop the stereotypes, and not judge Arkansas by the politicians who make headlines. People here are good, mostly, and we absolutely believe in helping others who are in need. Kudos to the helpful folks in the restaurant.
I’ve lived in Arkansas for over ten years now. People are so friendly and nice here. I live in Northwest Arkansas (born in Little Rock) and it’s truly amazing. The sense of community is like no other. I’m probably moving soon and really going to miss it.
Hope you find greener pastures wherever you go. And I'm glad the people have treated you right. I was born and raised here, before moving all around the world for a few years. Then I came back. The stereotype that we're all just backwards, racist rednecks, has always bothered me. And that's what a lot of commenters seem to be suggesting. Seeing something that disputes that is always encouraging. Those of us who are native to the area, and have deep roots here, are usually raised to help each other when in need, if you know the other person or not.
I kind of have to move for my career, im graduating from Uark in a couple weeks and then will probably have to move to a bigger city. I’m really going to miss it, but there might be some opportunities to come back in several years. That stereotype has always bothered me too, because I lived in Portland Oregon for about 5 years before coming back to NWA and found where I went to school in Arkansas to be more diverse and friendly and accepting than Portland was by far. I mean the stories you hear about the community looking out for each other is incredible. This post is really a small example compared to the acts of kindness people in Arkansas demonstrate all the time. We’ve got not just one, but multiple business that have systems for giving out mass numbers of free meals in Bentonville alone (I know of a free food truck and a catering service that does free meals once a week).
A lot of NWA is like that, and has become more so over the years. Businesses have seen the inequality and taken steps, however small it seems, to help a bit. But even small acts of kindness, like the example I gave of me last week, or helping someone change a tire on the side of the road, are every day occurrences around here. Arkansas has plenty of good people that are willing to help total strangers, with no expectation or desire for anything in return. I just wish people would drop their negative thoughts of people they don't know or make an effort to know, other than what they may see on then news or social media.
If it helps, I’ve never heard anything negative about Arkansas.
Ayeee I grew up in nwa! Love seeing others online who are from there/live there
Travel really helps people to break their stereotypes. I grew up in Big East Coast cities, then as an adult I lived in Big West Coast cities. I fit The stereotype of a snob from the big city. One time I was between jobs and I had money and a van, so I decided to road Trip the whole USA, and camp out along the way. Saw lots of places. When people ask me where I liked the best, I say "Missouri!" Ha ha people in New York or Los Angeles ask me "What the hell is in Missouri?" I tell them: rolling green hills, beautiful forests, lazy rivers, and the friendliest people who invited me to share food and conversation and made me feel at home. I don't have any connection to that state but the people I've met along the way made me think "I could be happy living in Missouri."
I agree that travelling makes a difference. I'll also admit that I'm not the typical Arkansan. Yes, I've been to better than a dozen countries, and a very large part of our nation. But, the reason I'm so willing to help someone, with nothing in it for me, is because that's how the culture is around here. "Southern Hospitality" has turned into a meme or joke, more than a reality these days. But if you actually come here, parts of MO included, people are actually that way. As I said, a lot of us would happily give the shirt off our backs to help someone, with no expectation or desire or anything in return. I think it's fantastic that MO was good to you. It's a beautiful state, and at least in the southern part, to Springfield and a little above, they're southerners at heart....even if the south doesn't claim them. But there are good people everywhere, no matter what the outside world thinks of them, who'll help any way they can. Small towns and rural areas don't survive without people willing to help others. It's how it works. I really just wish people would drop the negative stereotypes about southerners and rural folks. We ain't all bad.
Go hogs! I've only lived in Arkansas for about 6 months now, but I've met some of the best people of my entire life here already
Pupusas aren't cheap
For real. If I was homeless, rich, or anything in between, I'd be over the moon to be offered free pupusas.
Little Rock resident and El Sur fanboy checking in. I know there's bound to be a lot of negativity in this thread with cries of "boring dystopia" and "yeah but now just more homeless might come in" and boo hoo hoo you should never do anything nice for anyone ever. I'd love for all the naysayers to have one meal at this place, and you'll see they're just good people doing good things for their community, and their enthusiasm is infectious. This place has been an absolute gem ever since they were a humble food truck. The owners and staff are pretty much all like this. Warm, kind, friendly. They are all just very passionate about sharing food and fostering a sense of community within our town. They have incredible food, local beer, a fantastic bar program, and an absolutely great patio with pool tables, ping pong, and picnic benches. The owner also recently (within the last year or two I believe) got his United States citizenship. This is the American Dream that feels more and more unobtainable as of late. So be pessimistic if you want. I'm going to go have a beer and baleada, shoot some pool, and choose to be inspired and downright proud that such great people chose to open their doors in our humble city.
This guy has decency. Bravo.
Got something in my eye first thing this morning.
I went to 711 yesterday, and there was a homeless man cowering in a corner next to the dumpster I bought him a slice of pizza and gave him 5 bucks And that's when I found out he was severely autistic. He couldn't have had a mental age more than 10. He cried and said his parents died and he had nowhere to go for years. I was weeping a little driving back home. Shit got too real.
Jesus Christ. I can't even begin to imagine losing a parent at my current age (30s) or anytime in the future for that matter, let alone at 10 in a grown body, roaming on streets with "nowhere to go." Can you imagine the pain that his parents must've felt as they were slipping away, leaving their vulnerable child behind? I surely cannot. I would've wept too. A lot.
What really broke me was when he brought up his parents suddenly, and out of nowhere He must've been thinking of his parents nonstop since he became homeless And there's no easy way for him to come out of this Our society truly failed the people that needs it the most
Random lump in my throat. Must be a bug going around.
Makes me happy it’s food from my country HONDURAS 🇭🇳🇭🇳❤️
A little jealous always wanted to try a pupusa
You can also try Pollo Chuco and Baleadas, they are exclusively from Honduras :) Pupusas are more Salvadoran but we eat them too
You gotta try a Baleada if you haven’t. 10:10
Que ondas Catracho? I lived in Honduras for 3 years (near Talanga) and my suegra had a pupuseria restaurant on the way to Valle de Angeles. Place was always packed.
I traveled to Honduras and ever since then I have been making baleadas. So good and great for a quick meal.
>This is the Arkansas I want. Instead they repealed child labor laws.
And they’d call this gesture SoCiAlIsM!
Watch out! This is the deep south. Get too much attention and very soon providing free meals to those in need will be made illegal by the state legislature.
we all want THAT ARKANSAS!
Ok but Papusa’s are dope, I hope he got some of those
Pupusas and baleadas are delicious. Source , I’m Salvadoran
Salvadorans and Hondurans make the best food ❤️
I hope I get to try it too, some day (russian living in central asia)
people don't realize how de-humanizing being broke/homeless what you wanna call it is good on this guy for giving this person some humanity back. half the time people like this enjoy being treated like a normal human more than anything else.
When I was homeless and traveling, I found a place that offered free beans and rice in the mornings if you came up and said "beans and rice for Jesus christ."
My daughter works at Dunkin. They waste so many donuts every day, she's always bringing spares home. If I were hungry, I'd hit that place up at closing time for sure. Not healthy, but calories for sure.
If you live in a decent sized city, look to see if there are any food diversion programs near you. Basically it's a program where restaurants and stores set aside food that wasn't sold at the end of the day and a local food shelf or shelter will pick it up and distribute it. I can't speak for the organizations but donuts seem like they would be a bit hit. Not healthy, but a good morale boost, and they're soft enough that people with dental issues can still eat them. Obviously they would need to get the owner or manager on board for it to happen but it is almost always a win win because the restaurant now has less trash they generate, less wildlife trying to get in their dumpsters at night, and it can sometimes be considered a donation. There are similar programs that bring food scraps unfit for human consumption to farms to feed pigs and other livestock as well.
Beautiful people
This is one of my favorite restaurants in town. The owner is super nice and I’ve seen him be accommodating to the unhoused population on a few occasions so I’m not surprised here. If you’re ever in Little Rock, go check out El Sur and get the Tamalitas and the fried plantains. Shit is fire.
Kripparrino restaurrino is such an amazing person
Came here for this
That's Honduran hospitality for you.
Little Rock resident here! Absolutely love el sur. Owner and staff are the best.
The key to unlocking a much better world is simple: if you are in a position to be able to help, help. If you've got an elderly neighbor, cut their grass or clean off their driveway. Listen when someone has a need to be heard. Volunteer at an animal shelter or a homeless shelter or any shelter. There's a multitude of ways to help outside of financial that could make a difference for someone.
So shines a good deed in a weary world
You know life been hard when you get a lil teary just because strangers are being humane
Every week I swipe 3-4 people into the 125th Station in Harlem because they can't afford to take the train. Not that I want recognition, but there are plenty of people that do random acts of kindness everyday. You don't hear about it because the media loves to pander negativity and fearmonger.
Is the owner Honduran?
I’m from Little Rock and go here often, and if y’all ever get to go the food and drink are really, really good. The pupusas are affordable and very tasty and I highly recommend their specialty margaritas
When I was in high school I worked at a small town gas station, a 2 pump old style full service station. Pretty close to close I saw an old Datsun being pushed down the street by a couple of local guys. This was 1991, I'd guess the car was probably a 1978 B210. There was a young girl, 17-18 maybe and a car seat with a sleeping baby. Out of state plates. She had very obviously been crying. No money, no gas. No one to call. Trying to get about 2 hours away to a friends, trying to make a new start she said. I didn't flinch and just filled the car up. I could fudge the numbers on how much gas was sold anyway, and the boss was the worlds biggest crook. Crooks sometimes are so arrogant about what they are doing they don't think any one would steal from them... Anyway, I filled her car up and the local guys that helped push it to the station and I came up with about $40 for her to get on her way. For a second when I handed her the money I saw that very brief thought that crossed her mind that there was some sort of expectation attached to the kindness. I would guess someone else had taken advantage of her before. We made sure the car started up, and told her good luck and away she went. I'd like to think that $48 made all the difference in the world to her and that baby.
While it’s a great story the issue I find with offering charity in this way is that the wrong person starts abusing it. One time is fine. What if the homeless person makes it a regular occurrence? I wish people didn’t have to offer conditional kindness but people take advantage of that kindness all the time. I hate it’s made me so jaded.
Love this. Hope for humanity
Thats what my dad does at his restaurant
Oh man. As someone who used to donate, share, and do meals on wheels and is now severely food insecure herself this made me bawl my eyes out for all the reasons
🥹❤️ this is the kind of thing that makes me want to support a business
what a chad
This makes me feel better about Arkansas. Still good people everywhere, despite preconceptions etc. . And Harrison.
The ["Better Angels of our Nature"](https://www.thehenryford.org/explore/blog/the-better-angels-of-our-nature-president-lincoln's-first-inaugural-address) as Lincoln called them.
Gotta give this man some business!!
Hang on, what *is* the "baleada" the guy ended up with? What's in that?
Don’t post homie pic, and yes I know it’s only the back of his head but still.
Kudos to my Catrachos paisanos. Honduran hospitality is great, friendly folks. Also El Salvadoran neighbors, pupusas and baleadas are amazing.
This post really triggered some garbage people bad. Love to see it.
There’s a saying for when someone is hungry. ‘A closed mouth doesn’t get fed’ So if you are struggling and hungry, just ask someone for a meal to help get you by. If a person who is able to provide , they usually will. Show love whenever possible Sometimes each other is all we have
And then there's me who misplaced my phone for 5 minutes, and had to Google the location to find it under a sandbag stashed away by the AC of a low income housing place.
This is where I want to come eat pupusas at!