1 in 7 people in North Texas faced food challenges in 2023, the majority of whom are children. Overall, Texas is leading the nation in food insecurity with 5.4 million people facing hunger. HungerMitao is a volunteer movement marshaling the Indian American community against the hunger crisis.
Rather than creating another 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, Raj and Anna (Aradhana) Asava, the co-founders of HungerMitao, put their full support behind food banks and existing organizations (like the North Texas Food Bank). When interviewed, they explained how “hunger is such a basic need, and the thought of anyone going to bed hungry in a country of abundance compels us to act.” HungerMitao, meaning to wipe out hunger, set out to do just that in September 2017 by fundraising, organizing food drives, volunteering, and increasing awareness. The impact was astonishing: they enabled over 75 million nutritious meals and partnered with eight food banks across the nation.
| Email: usa@hungermitao.org |
| Phone Number: (214) 659-1725 |
| Website: https://www.hungermitao.org/ |
| Anna Asava Bio: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anna-asava/ |
| Raj Asava Bio: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rajasava/ |
One of the greatest challenges facing the movement in their fight against hunger is that many in the US assume that food insecurity is not a problem in their country. Driven by gratitude towards the nation they built their lives in, Raj and Anna Asava organized gatherings to discuss food insecurity and showcase the need for immediate action. In addition, uniting the diverse Indian American communities also proved a significant challenge because of the vast array of languages, customs, and regions dividing them. However, Mr. Asava had described how when the community joined forces, “the marked impact of [their] contributions becomes undeniable.”
The movement encourages the community to support by volunteering or donating; every contribution has an impact as food banks can make one dollar equal to three nutritious meals. In their own words, “ending hunger is… about collective action.” Encouraging people to volunteer locally and share information of the cause, HungerMitao is a prime example of communities rallying together, despite their differences, to make a positive influence in their country.
HungerMitao’s actions have raised awareness of the food insecurity plight across the nation, and their work has prompted other communities to follow suit and mobilize themselves for the cause.
“Giving back is not about how much you
Founder Raj Asava, HungerMitao
have, but about how willing you are to share what you can.”