2018 Art of Humanity Award Winner
Louis Barrios
For almost forty years, the Barrios family has been known for the great food and hospitality dished out at their San Antonio restaurants. The Barrios name has also become synonymous with service, a tradition started by their matriarch, Viola Barrios. When she was killed in 2008, her three children, Louis, Diana, and Teresa, turned tragedy into charity by founding Viola's Huge Heart Foundation to give 4-year private high school scholarships to deserving students. As Louis Barrios says, “It speaks to that Mexican proverb “Algo bueno siempre sale de algo malo” - something good always comes out of something bad.
Louis has turned this philosophy into a business model that creates “win-win-win” solutions for his family-owned restaurants, donors, and local nonprofits. Eleven years ago, his friend, Mike Coolbaugh, died after being struck in the head by a baseball, leaving a pregnant wife and two children behind. Concerned about how they would pay their bills, Louis quickly moved into action. He created a flyer and invited guests at the funeral to a chicken fajita dinner fundraiser the following Sunday. At the end of the event, Louis handed his friend’s widow a check for $8,000, funds raised from 250 people who came to eat dinner and help out.
When the family opened its third restaurant, Viola’s Ventanas, in 2013, Louis decided to make the chicken fajita dinners available for nonprofit fundraisers every Sunday on the large, beautiful patio. Over the past 5 years, Louis has helped more than 80 charities raise money through these low-cost, turn-key dinners. “The smaller the charity, the more they love our fundraisers,” Louis says, “because they don’t have to risk money to raise money.”
Louis’ love for people shines through in everything he does. Whether visiting with guests at his restaurants or making calls to promote the next chicken fajita fundraiser, Louis large circle of friends know he does it because he cares – not just about the people he knows, but about everyone he meets. It’s the Barrios way!
Louis has turned this philosophy into a business model that creates “win-win-win” solutions for his family-owned restaurants, donors, and local nonprofits. Eleven years ago, his friend, Mike Coolbaugh, died after being struck in the head by a baseball, leaving a pregnant wife and two children behind. Concerned about how they would pay their bills, Louis quickly moved into action. He created a flyer and invited guests at the funeral to a chicken fajita dinner fundraiser the following Sunday. At the end of the event, Louis handed his friend’s widow a check for $8,000, funds raised from 250 people who came to eat dinner and help out.
When the family opened its third restaurant, Viola’s Ventanas, in 2013, Louis decided to make the chicken fajita dinners available for nonprofit fundraisers every Sunday on the large, beautiful patio. Over the past 5 years, Louis has helped more than 80 charities raise money through these low-cost, turn-key dinners. “The smaller the charity, the more they love our fundraisers,” Louis says, “because they don’t have to risk money to raise money.”
Louis’ love for people shines through in everything he does. Whether visiting with guests at his restaurants or making calls to promote the next chicken fajita fundraiser, Louis large circle of friends know he does it because he cares – not just about the people he knows, but about everyone he meets. It’s the Barrios way!
For additional information on Arts e Platters, please contact Cynthia Hamilton by email or at (210) 538-0905.