Today is the World Humanitarian Day! On the eve of the World Humanitarian Day 2020, Indian-origin philanthropist Raj Asava and Aradhana Asava – the founders of HungerMitao Movement in the USA – pledged to donate USD1 million to Feeding America, the nationwide network of food banks. “Hunger, whether it’s in India, the US, or anywhere in the world, should not be an issue in this day and age,” the Texas-based Indian American couple believes.
Texas-based Indian American Raj and Aradhana Asava’s HungerMitao Movement is a volunteer-driven campaign in the United States where around 40 million Americans grapple with food insecurity, according to Raj Patel, a professor at the University of Texas, Austin. Launched in 2017, the HungerMitao Movement raises awareness about hunger and fights food insecurity through the Feeding America network across Houston, Atlanta, Seattle and New York City.
In 7 months of the launch of HungerMitao, Raj Asava and Aradhana Asava helped the Feeding America food banks achieve the first milestone of funding one million meals. Currently, HungerMitao is close to funding 20 million meals. HungerMitao conducts food drive campaigns, organizes fundraising events, and involves active volunteering of Indian Americans in its mission. Every year, the HungerMitao volunteers conduct month-long food drives and fund-raising campaigns to commemorate the Indian Independence Day in August.
HungerMitao was born out of a campaign named “Million Meals March” that Raj Asava and Aradhana Asava had launched for the North Texas Food Bank on learning about the schoolchildren‘s suffering from hunger and homelessness on weekends. In an event, the mayor of Plano, Texas walked Raj Asava through the North Texas Food Bank’s hunger-eradicating initiatives for the poor schoolchildren.
According to the US Department of Agriculture, Texas ranks 17 on the index of food insecurity in the United States. A 2016 study based on the federal government data reveals that nearly four million people, including one if every 4 children, were suffering from hunger pangs in Texas. “Hunger has long been a serious and largely unspoken problem in the US for decades,” said Indian American Professor Raj Patel.
Raj and Aradhana Asava, who retired from corporate jobs, co-founded the Indian American Council (IMC) at North Texas Food Bank, aiming to involve Indian community members in their humanitarian efforts. As Raj and Aradhana do always lead by example, they were the first to contribute $100,000 to the hunger removal campaign. Their HungerMitao Movement bridges the gap between those craving the joy of giving and those who need help.
“We will never be able to eradicate hunger. But as human beings, it is our duty to ensure that no one goes hungry,” Aradhana Asava said. The HungerMitao Movement founders are looking to expand their work to Central Texas, New Jersey, Connecticut and Alameda as they believe, “Give where you live.”
