LOS ANGELES – While Project Angel Food breaks ground on a $51.5 million expansion to double its facility size and triple meal production, Robert Vargas is live painting a mural symbolizing a beacon of unity, resilience, and care.
What we know
With more than 48% of Project Angel Food clients living with critical illness identifying as Latino, Vargas’s Boyle Heights roots and Mexican American heritage reflect the communities the organization nourishes.
Vargas spoke with Good Day LA, saying the mural represents real people in the community, including a street vendor whose hands are depicted on the mural, symbolizing her “permanence” in the community.
Annually, Project Angel Food provides over 1.5 million meals to more than 7,157 seriously ill clients across Los Angeles County, totaling 20 million meals delivered to date.
The backstory
The City of Los Angeles has honored Vargas by proclaiming Sept. 8 “Robert Vargas Day.”
He is a world-renowned contemporary artist known for his mixed-media portraits, murals, and live events.
What’s next
The mural will be unveiled to the public on Wednesday, August 27 after two weeks of live painting.
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