Ep 9: Lunch On Me with LaRayia Gaston

Lunch On Me with LaRayia Gaston

Episode 09: Show Notes.

Our most meaningful acts often involve giving something away, especially when you’re helping those that most need it. Today’s guest is LaRayia Gaston, someone who has devoted herself to improving the lives of the homeless. As the founder of Lunch on Me, an L.A nonprofit that feeds the homeless of Skid Row, LaRayia shows that you can give without reason.

Before diving into her work, we chat about her childhood and LaRayia talks about how influential art has been in her life. She discusses her wonderfully mixed heritage and how her church background showed her the importance of tithing as a form of giving back to the community. We talk about LaRayia’s career as a dancer and model and her aversion to drugs and alcohol. She opens up about the people in her life who have been through hardship and how she learned the importance of showing love in helping people overcome their struggles. LaRayia then shares her experiences of moving to Los Angeles and discovering Skid Row; an area with a long-established homeless population. After volunteering for nonprofits and becoming disillusioned with their inefficiencies, LaRayia details how she set up Lunch on Me.

As a part of her goal to humanize the homeless, her organization only serves healthy food and not the table scraps that are often given to the homeless. We ask LaRayia about the lessons that she learned from spending 43 days living in Skid Row and she shares a heartwarming story about receiving help when she needed it the most. LaRayia’s journey is as inspiring as it is empowering. Tune in to learn more about LaRayia and hear why she thinks there’s no excuse for not giving back to your community.

Key Points From This Episode:

How LaRayia’s love of drawing and books helped her escape a sense of confinement in her youth.
The lessons that LaRayia learned from reading about exceptional artists that looked like her.
Hear about LaRayia’s childhood and how she was exposed to many different cultures.
Despite having a wonderfully varied heritage, how LaRayia came to identify as black.
The number one thing that LaRayia got from church; we have to give to one another.
How LaRayia’s grandmother often filled the role of being her mother.
Questions that LaRayia asked about church and the bible; “Are we praying to the same God?”
LaRayia tells the story of how she made her life-long best friend as a kid.
Not liking to ask for money, 12-year-old LaRayia got a job working in her uncle’s restaurant.
LaRayia’s first encounter with an angel when giving a homeless person food.
Wanting to create and LaRayia’s strong connection with art.
How LaRayia took the idea of tithing to the streets and began feeding the homeless.
LaRayia’s work as a dancer and her transition into modeling for music videos.
Why LaRayia doesn’t touch drugs or alcohol; she’s seen the damage that they cause.
The importance of having someone who is there for you — who shows up.
LaRayia’s experience of moving to Los Angeles and discovering Skid Row.
How the structure of many nonprofits prevents more good work from being done.
Setting up Lunch on Me and LaRayia’s financial situation at the time.
LaRayia explains her meditation routine and how it’s changed over time.
How LaRayia approached sponsors to help provide food for the homeless.
Why LaRayia provides healthy food that she eats herself.
Exploring Lunch on Me’s mission statement; “creating sacred spaces where people can actually be seen.”
Little Kevin’s story and the power of loving people and letting them be seen.
Hear what happened when LaRayia decided to stay on Skid Row for 43 days.
How military vets and foster care kids often end up homeless.
LaRayia shares details on her bodega, upcoming documentary, and nonprofit market.
We ask LaRayia what she thinks happens when someone passes.