Giving Churros Can Save Lives this Holiday Season

Changing lives one churro at a time. That’s what husband and wife Aldo Rios and Ana Maciel hope to do this holiday season with each sweet Mexican fritter rolled in cinnamon sugar.

Owners of El Churro Shop in Chicago’s Little Village neighborhood, the couple is running a “LungLove Churro” special between November 15 and December 31 that will benefit the American Lung Association in Greater Chicago.

“We lose a lot of lives because of lack of awareness. Lung disease affects a large portion of the Latino community, and we feel it’s because people don’t know about the resources and treatments available to them,” said Maciel, who also suffers from allergic asthma and suffered a pulmonary embolism in 2015.

The couple isn’t new to philanthropy. They’ve participated in multiple charitable events but this is the first time El Churro Shop is partnering with a non-profit like the Lung Association. They’re grateful that their churro shop allows them to raise awareness and funding for local programs, education and research.

“We want our shop to be a vessel to do good for our community, get the neighborhood involved and connect people with resources they didn’t know are there for them,” said Rios.

The special includes “Corporate/Family Pack” options, as well as in-person “Bonus Box” options.

“Our LungLove Churros are sprinkled with blue sugar to make them more attractive and reflective of the Lung Association’s brand and color. We want to make them relate to the cause so that people can get familiar with the organization and their resources,” said Rios.

Orders can be made by phone (773-801-1818), email ([email protected]) or Uber Eats and DoorDash. Their Instagram handle is @elchurroshop.

More than one million people in Greater Chicago suffer from lung disease and more than 9,000 people across Illinois die from lung disease each year. Funds raised will help save lives through research, education, and advocacy.