Name: Brett Galus
Hometown: Southbury, CT
Major: Business (Finance/Management)
Interests: Swimming, Skiing, Volunteer Work
Tell me about End Hunger CT:
End Hunger CT! is a non-profit organization located in Hartford, CT that is working to provide kids who are food insecure access to healthy and nutritious food all year long. They work alongside State partner organizations to provide breakfast before school, snacks after school, lunch during the summer while students are out of school and much more.
How did you hear about the organization and what made you interested in it?
I’ve been volunteering at local food banks for the past eight years and had heard of the organization in brief, but after subscribing to their e-mail list I learned a lot more and noticed that they were looking for a summer intern. With my history and passion for hunger issues in my community I thought it would be a great opportunity.
What did you do during your internship?
The goal of my internship, since it was during the summer, was to increase the participation rate among kids in the “Free Summer Meals” program. This is a federally funded program, but only four out of ten kids who qualify for the program make use of it. So a major part of my work was outreach and advocacy to all communities across CT about the program and how to access the free summer meals. To accomplish this we worked alongside State partner organizations to put together volunteer events in multiple towns across CT with the aim of spreading the word of the program. Besides these events I managed state data on the places where children could get the free meals, and controlled the social media and website accounts of the organization. Finally, our organization awards grant money to communities that run nutritional programs to children and I was in charge of visiting these sites and overseeing their operations and if they were using their grant money in the most beneficial way.
What are your goals for your trip to Congress this month?
The child nutrition bill which outlines the entire summer meals program is going to pass through Congress soon. My goal as I head down to D.C. is to share my personal experiences from this summer with several Congressional members so they can hear about my ground work. This will hopefully fuel their passion towards the bill and encourage them to pass it through Congress and inspire them to amend the bill with less harsh qualifications for food insecure children.
What is the biggest reward from your experience this summer?
The biggest reward from my experience this summer was being able to go to numerous towns in Connecticut and see my hard work in the office paying off in person. When I was able to talk with parents and children who use this program, they could not have been more grateful. It felt great being able to provide these families with the means of feeding their children over the summer when out of school. No child should have to grow up hungry.
Has your experience influenced you to pursue this field as a career or at Northeastern?
Working at End Hunger CT! opened my eyes to working alongside government organizations and how different the office environment of a non-profit is. It has definitely lead me to consider going in to some form of finance while working with the government and I see myself working for a non-profit sometime in my future.
What are some internship tips you have for students?
1. Take an internship that deals with something your passionate about. It makes going to work a pleasure instead of a hassle.
2. Make your commute as short as possible.
3. Go into an internship open-minded with no expectations.
What are 3 Things you think every Northeastern student should do before graduation?
1. Attend an MIT party, it’s a right of passage.
2. Volunteer for a large event with friends such as the Boston Marathon, Head of the Charles, etc…
3. Take a co-op outside their comfort zone, whether it be out of their major or out of the country.