Mario Puente provides nutrition, food safety, physical activity, and food budget education to low-income individuals and families. He shares his knowledge and works with community agencies, grassroots organizations, churches, parks, and public schools throughout Chicago.

Mario gets excited when he hears the mothers he assists tell him, “Yesterday I prepared the recipe you taught us—and my family liked it!”

In 2015, Puente joined the University of Illinois Extension as a work program participant in the Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program.

Mario does volunteer work, plays with his grandchildren, and practices soccer when not in the office.