Karla Cardenas

Karla Cardenas believes strong communities are built when people move beyond simply living in a place and choose to care for it. As a business owner, community leader, and lifelong San Angelo resident, she works every day to create opportunities that help others grow, connect, and succeed.

Karla is the owner of Angelo MMA and Fitness and The Re Up San Angelo, where she has created spaces that encourage health, discipline, and personal growth. Through her work, she often brings together people of different backgrounds while helping individuals build confidence, strength, and resilience.

For Karla, giving back means planting seeds that will grow long into the future. She believes when people invest their time, energy, and resources into their community, it creates ripple effects that spread far beyond one moment or one act of service. Whether the need involves access to food, mentorship, education, fitness, or opportunity, Karla believes helping others strengthens the entire community and helps turn neighbors into family.

Her commitment to service extends well beyond her businesses. Karla currently serves on the San Angelo ISD School Board and the YMCA Board of Directors, where she helps advocate for programs and opportunities that support youth and families throughout the community. She believes meaningful service comes from listening, showing up consistently, and working together to help San Angelo continue to grow stronger.

Being named a Meals For The Elderly Community Champion is both an honor and a responsibility for Karla. She believes true leadership is shown through action rather than titles and that success is not measured only by personal achievement but by how many people you help grow and thrive along the way. She hopes her work encourages younger generations to see the value of service and community involvement.

A quote that inspires Karla’s commitment to service comes from Martin Luther King Jr.:
“Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.”

Karla is a proud San Angelo native, a wife, and a mother of three young children. She is also the founder of the longest running women only fitness boot camp in the city called FOX Camp, which stands for Female Only Exercise Camp. And for a fun fact, she says she can hit a three point basketball shot with her eyes closed.

As part of the Meals For The Elderly Community Champions program, Karla will participate in a ride along with one of our volunteer delivery routes during March for Meals. This experience allows champions to see firsthand the impact of a daily meal delivery and the meaningful connections volunteers build with the seniors they serve.

Meals For The Elderly is grateful for Karla’s leadership, her dedication to strengthening the community, and her willingness to serve as an ambassador for our mission of neighbors helping neighbors.