El Charrito is a beloved, family-owned restaurant on the West Side of St. Paul that has served as a gathering place for the local Latino community. It has provided not only food, but jobs, stability, and cultural connection. I am a long-time customer and friend to the owners. I have set up this GoFundMe with hopes of helping to feed their family and their employee's families during this emergency shut down time. If we all chip in as a community, we can help their business survive.

For the past two weeks, El Charrito has been forced to close — not because of lack of customers or mismanagement, but because of credible enforcement threats that put employees at risk. Out of concern for the safety and well-being of their workers and families, the owners made the painful decision to shut their doors temporarily.

This closure has been devastating.

Without daily operations:

Rent for the restaurant space still comes due.

Utilities continue to accrue.

Food inventory and supplier obligations remain.

Employees have lost income they rely on for rent, groceries, and basic necessities.

For many of the workers at El Charrito, missing even one paycheck can mean falling behind on rent, losing access to food, or facing housing insecurity. After two weeks of closure, the financial strain is becoming overwhelming.

The funds donated will go directly to El Charrito and will be used to support employees and business owners while they are shut down. The money will be used for basic needs such as food and household expenses such as rent.