Indian American community to raise $100,000 in support of Feeding America to celebrate India’s Independence.
As in the years past, HungerMitao (“wipeout hunger”), an Indian American community led movement raising awareness about hunger in the USA, is celebrating August, the month of India’s Independence, as HungerMitao (independence from hunger) Month.
This year, as part of 2021 HungerMitao Month, the Indian American community has taken on a challenge to raise at least $100,000 in support of Feeding America, the organization said in a press release.
“Its mission is to advance change in America by ensuring equitable access to nutritious food for all in partnership with food banks, policymakers, supporters, and the communities we serve.”
Over the three years since its launch, the movement has enabled more than 35 million meals for Feeding America and Food Banks in North Texas, Houston, New York City, Atlanta, and Seattle, it said.
READ: HungerMitao movement serves 10 million meals in North Texas (March 13, 2021)
“HungerMitao’s early supporters will recall, the years ago, we had a one weekend food drive around August 15, India’s Independence day,” the release said noting, “The following year, it grew into a week-long funds and food drive. The response from the Indian diaspora was amazing.”
“People asked for it to be stretched longer to accommodate summer vacations and back to school schedules. So last year, during the pandemic we pivoted and celebrated it as the HungerMitao Month funds-for-food-drive, commemorating India’s Independence Month!”
The HungerMitao Month campaign that started with North Texas Food Bank, has now spread to the entire country, the release said “HungerMitao Month is now a national campaign where India’s Independence month is celebrated across the USA as “Independence from Hunger Month!”
In the US, one in nine Americans struggle with hunger, and one in seven children do not know where their next meal will come from, the movement noted in a message to the Indian diaspora across the nation.
READ: HungerMitao provides four million meals to poor New Yorkers (January 26, 2021)
“When I learned about this dire situation, I decided to do something about it,” said Raj G. Asava, Co-Founder HungerMitao. “I joined the HungerMitao Month – Funds for Food Drive to help Feeding America and its network of 200+ food banks.”
Feeding America is the nationwide network of 200 food banks that leads the fight against hunger in the United States.
“Together, we provide food to more than 40 million people— including 12 million children and 7 million seniors—through 60,000 food pantries and meal programs in communities across America,” Asava said.
Due to Covid-19 conditions, unemployment and under-employment is at an all-time high and the lines of people needing food assistance continues to be exceedingly long, the press release noted.
From March through December 2020 alone, Feeding America food banks distributed an estimated 5.3 billion meals to people facing hunger in the US.
Asava urged the community “to join HungerMitao Month Funds for Food Drive and be a part of the solution.”
“Help raise the critical funds to support Feeding America and their network of 200+ food banks in their operation of distributing nutritious meals to those in need,” he added.
Please visit https://tinyurl.com/FeedingAmerica-HMM-2021 to make your impact in the fight against hunger.
Visit www.HungerMitao.org to learn more about this unique community driven model.