Meet Armando Parrish | Non-Profit Founder

We had the good fortune of connecting with Armando Parrish and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Armando, how does your business help the community?
At Project Lorenzo, we seek to effectively end homelessness by teaching individuals in shelters certification courses. These courses are specialized in technology, specifically UX Design, and our teachers go down every other Friday & Saturday to teach these women. Project Lorenzo covers all of the cost and fees for the course, and once the class members finish the course, we find them a permanent, high-paying job! We are currently piloting our Skilled Jobs program at In My Shoes, a local Dallas shelter for homeless women, and these women are on the cusp of finishing the course. Project Lorenzo also acts in charity by providing care packages to the unsheltered homeless. Furthermore, Project Lorenzo has thrown several fundraisers, such as Music for Change: A music festival that rocked Plano, Texas on August 27th, 2022. The festival consisted of twenty-five bands, seven food trucks, various small business stands, and even a gaming truck. In total, over 500 people came out for the tunes! Besides the music festival, we hold a “Run for Change” 5K Fun Run each year during April. This past year, we made it into a color run and Easter egg hunt during Easter weekend! These fundraisers support the Skilled Jobs program so we have the means to end homelessness!

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I started Project Lorenzo as a rising junior in high school. Project Lorenzo is a 501(c)3 that ends homelessness effectively by teaching homeless individuals certification courses, which are specialized in technology. I fully believe that we will end homelessness with our program, and i know that is what makes us unique. I believe to solve homelessness changemakers are required to think outside of the box, and that is exactly what we are doing. I am most proud of our grants that we have received to jump start our Skilled Jobs program, specifically The Dallas Foundation’s “Pegasus Prize.” It has not been easy, but everything I have done at Project Lorenzo has been out of love. Without the group of moms that I have worked together with (Specifically Julie Condy, our executive director), NONE of this would have been possible.

Our goal is to end homelessness, and I will not be satisfied until our dream has come true.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Without a doubt, we would have to visit Torchy’s Tacos as a starter. Torchy’s is a staple in my family, and I love to extend that feeling to others. We would then go on to have a workout, whether that be on the track or in the gym. We would also drive over to Strike-and-Reel, a local movie theatre and bowling alley, to bowl a few games and then head over to watch the latest movie. We would absolutely have to attend a family game night, and I would end the trip with mass and a family dinner.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
First things first, I would love to thank Jesus Christ. Christ is, and continues to be,my moral compass. He has shown me what a true life looks like, and how I can strive for holiness in every word I speak, action I do, thought I think. Besides Him, my family has supported my journey with Project Lorenzo (My mother sits on the Board of Directors). My parents have attended each fundraiser Project Lorenzo has held, and I am overjoyed with how they support me. My counselor and theology teacher at Bishop Lynch High School, my alma mater, have guided me through every decision I have made, and they also have sat at my side whenever I feel I have bitten off more than I can chew.

Website: www.projectlorenzo.org

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/projectlorenzodfw/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/armando-parrish-947309232/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/ArmandoParrish_

Image Credits
Instagram: @p.creations._