The Food Bank for New York City forms new Indian American Council.
In a new and encouraging initiative Indian Americans across New York are coming together to fight food insecurity with Food Bank For New York City, a major hunger-relief organization working to end hunger throughout the five boroughs.
The Food Bank For New York City’s new Indian American Council will work to raise awareness, improve engagement and channel community resources to help end hunger. The newly formed Indian American Council kicked off its “Million Meal March” campaign at Baar Baar restaurant earlier this month. The event garnered more than 100 attendees and raised over 610,000 meals for New Yorkers in need. The group has mobilized the Indian American community with the rallying call of “Hunger Mitao!,” which means “Wipe Out Hunger.”
The Council’s Co-Chair is Payal Sharma, the Managing Partner of Baar Baar restaurant, and its Founders and Advisors are Raj Asava and Aradhana “Anna” Asava.
The council will raise awareness, improve engagement, and channel resources and contributions of the Indian American community in New York City to support Food Bank’s mission. “In the spirit of ‘give where you live,’ the Indian American community – through IAC – has enabled close to 5 million meals in Texas in just over a year,” said Raj Asava, in a press release. “We are excited to bring this model to New York City and are confident that the Indian community here will galvanize around Food Bank and provide millions of meals for NYC’s food insecure children, seniors, veterans and vulnerable families,” added Anna Asava.
“We are grateful to be selected as the recipients of the great passion, commitment and focus of the Indian American Council,” said Margarette Purvis, President & CEO of Food Bank For New York City. “Their important work punctuates how every New Yorker has a role to play in the fight against hunger.”
The Food Bank for New York was founded more than three decades ago.
Originally launched in North Texas, the Co-founders have since expanded the Indian American Council to Houston, as well.