“My name is Angelo Gallo, and my story is not just about professional growth but also about personal transformation."
My journey with food access is colored by memories from my home country, Venezuela. I witnessed families receiving food boxes with expired and substandard items. I've seen people in desperate situations with no choice but to eat expired food. My memories from Venezuela are my inspiration.
As a leader at The GrowHaus, I take great responsibility for ensuring our community has fresh, high-quality food that makes them feel cared for. But our work is not just about giving out food; it is about equipping communities to eat healthy and make informed choices for their well-being.
To me, this is food justice! I wish I could have done this work back in Venezuela. But I'm grateful that I can now assist Globeville, Elyria, and Swansea members and newcomers from my homeland and various communities throughout Denver.
The diversity of people I serve daily is genuinely inspiring. There are immigrants from all over the world, such as Vietnam and Africa. Learning about their culinary traditions and creating food access programs that cater to their preferences is fascinating. I know the feeling of having someone look out for you when you miss food from your home country. You feel seen. I want to be the person who creates this feeling for others.
“I know the feeling of having someone look out for you when you miss food from your home country. You feel seen.”
In my current role as Assistant Food Access Manager, I always try to order local and seasonal produce for program participants from Globeville, Elyria, and Swansea, Boys & Girls Clubs, Denver Public Libraries, Maiker Housing Partners, and others. But I haven’t always been a Manager. When I first started at The GrowHaus, I was an Associate and didn’t have much professional experience. I am now learning to manage budgets, negotiate with suppliers, and use my leadership skills to help my community in ways I never thought possible. Through my journey at The GrowHaus, I've connected with an inner source of strength.
