David Levy

David Levy, 61, makes arepas from his native Colombia, along with pita pizzas, a nod to the Lebanese father he learned about later in life. After working for many years in construction, he had recently moved his family from Florida to Falls Church and was earning money as an Uber driver when the pandemic hit, decimating his income. Then he got a letter from Fairfax County about a business administration course available for people 55 and older.

Levy met Brige through Bright Path, a nonprofit that counsels people in personal finance management and has a partnership with Escala. He had an idea to refashion a large storage trailer he had bought for construction into a food venue, and she helped him with permits and licensing and connected him to a commercial kitchen. An avid baker and cook, Levy opened Pizza Pita 24, a food trailer parked across from a row of car dealerships off Chain Bridge Road in Tysons. His wife, Gloria, 51, and Nathalia, 20, the oldest of their three children, work with him.

 "Escala has helped my dad, not only knowledge-wise, but also support," Nathalia said. "They offer a lot of encouragement."

https://www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/2021/10/18/escala-pandemic-food-businesses/