Annual grassroots movement brings together the Indian American community to support hunger-relief during the month of India’s Independence Day on August 15

San Diego CA— Feeding San Diego a volunteer-driven grassroots campaign designed to raise awareness about hunger and to drive donations for hunger-relief. HungerMitao (which means “wipe out hunger”) will run throughout the month of August. The movement is a signature campaign of the Indian American Council (IAC) and is championed by co-founders Raj G. and Aradhana (Anna) Asava, who started the national campaign to coincide with the month of India’s Independence Day (August 15). The focus is to harness the compassion, philanthropy and giving spirit of the Indian American community and to raise funds for hunger-relief organizations in the Feeding America network, including Feeding San Diego.
Nanditha Krishnan is a teen volunteer at Feeding San Diego. She and her family are helping to raise awareness and funds for HungerMitao in support of those in need of food assistance across San Diego County. “People have the power to reverse hunger, especially during this pandemic, including informing others about this problem and how much it affects our community,” said Nanditha Krishnan. “There are so many ways to get involved and do our bit to help those facing a food crisis right now, especially children and seniors. I was excited to start my campaign team to help HungerMitao spread this message and gain support from people in my own community. Even small donations can help a lot.”
COVID-19 has caused the worst unemployment crisis since the Great Depression, and as a result, the need for food assistance has increased exponentially. There are thousands of people facing hunger in San Diego and campaigns like this one allow Feeding San Diego to continue to serve people in need during this unprecedented crisis. “Since the pandemic hit in March, Feeding San Diego has focused on scaling our emergency hunger-relief efforts throughout San Diego County,” said Gavon Morris, Chief Development & Marketing Officer of Feeding San Diego. “We are proud to partner with HungerMitao to launch a campaign that will raise critical funds to continue our critical work.”
Over the two years since the national launch of HungerMitao, the campaign has run in North Texas, Houston, New York City, Atlanta, and Seattle and the movement has enabled 20 million meals. This is the first year the campaign is running in San Diego County.
Due to social distancing measures in effect as a result of the pandemic, the campaign is a virtual fund drive without in-person volunteering or a food drive component. San Diegans can give online to support the initiative.