Bartaco raises money in partnership with Love Light + Melody – We-Ha

To raise awareness of Bartaco’s partnership with Love Light + Melody, Brad Corrigan, lead singer of Dispatch and founder of Love Light + Melody, appeared on bartaco on Monday, July 1st.

By Kaily Martinez

The crispy shrimp taco is back for a limited time at bartaco in West Hartford and it’s for a good cause.

In a relationship with Love Light + Melodybartaco in West Hartford is donating $1 from every crispy shrimp taco sold to the organization from June 12 through July 23. Brad Corrigan, founder of Love Light + Melody and lead singer of the band Dispatch, stopped by bartaco on Monday, July 1 for a brief but lively and inspiring performance.

For every crispy shrimp taco sold, bartaco will donate $1 to Love Light + Melody from June 12 to July 23. Photo credit: Kaily Martinez

Before the performance began, the bartaco was packed inside and out with excited patrons who couldn’t wait for the music to start. As the music began, several patrons could be seen enjoying the music from their seats or standing on their feet dancing and clapping to the beat. After a few songs, bartaco President Anthony Valletta paused to talk about the fundraiser and how Valletta talked his lifelong friend Corrigan into performing for an hour at bartaco. “We found out today, about halfway through, that we’ve raised $70,000 so far,” Valletta announced.

Valletta then invited Corrigan to talk about how Love Light + Melody began. Around 2006, Corrigan said, he traveled to La Chureca in Nicaragua, where he was taken to a garbage dump and saw children running around barefoot. During that trip, Corrigan said, “something just snapped inside me that day.”

A table with information about the fundraiser was set up to the left of the entrance. Guests could choose a bracelet made from recycled plastic bags, matches, temporary tattoos and a free taco redemption coin. Photo credit: Kaily Martinez

He sat in the car, locked the doors and rolled up the windows, but then took pictures. Corrigan said he was glad he had a camera because it allowed him to remember the moment with photos instead of erasing it from his memory. When he got home, he looked at the pictures he had taken and thought about the children and their families and how they were no different than he or his own family.

“Then I had this nagging thought: My last name is Corrigan, and I thought to myself: What if I looked out the window and instead of rolling up the windows and locking the doors, what if every single child, parent and stranger I saw was a Corrigan? If I considered them family, what would I do? What would I not do? And that changed everything for me because they started treating me like family. They were the ones who were generous, they were the ones who weren’t afraid, they were the ones who invited me out of the car,” Corrigan said.

The weather was perfect for Brad Corrigan, Mike Nunziante and Reinaldo “Rey” DeJesus. Photo credit: Kaily Martinez

After getting to know one of the children, Ileana, Corrigan saw how Ileana continued to see the positive in life despite her circumstances. Sadly, Ileana passed away in 2011. Since then, Love Light + Melody founded Ileana’s School of Hope to give students “the opportunity and guidance to continue their education and improve their lives and those of their families,” according to her. Impact StatementThey have also launched a scholarship program for high schools and universities.

The hour-long performance, led by Corrigan, helped get the message across about Love Light + Melody’s partnership with bartaco and their fundraiser. While the crispy shrimp taco is a limited-time offering, those who want to continue making a difference can donate through Love Light + Melody’s website.

Reinaldo “Rey” DeJesus during the performance at Bartaco. Photo credit: Kaily Martinez

During the set, Bartaco President Anthony Valletta and Brad Corrigan wished Anna Greenberg, Bartaco’s Marketing Director, a happy birthday. Photo: Kaily Martinez

Brad Corrigan during the performance at Bartaco. Photo credit: Kaily Martinez

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