Bigger Than Us #233 Raj Asava, Co-Founder of the Hunger Mitao movement
Raj Asava, originally from India, enjoyed a successful corporate career in senior/executive roles for renowned companies, including serving as President of two startup organizations. He retired in 2010 as the Chief Strategy Officer at Perot Systems. Aradhana (Anna) Asava, has over 20 years of experience in the Global Information Technology industry, specializing in leading organization-wide transformational programs. In 2009, Anna transitioned from corporate America to philanthropic endeavors, demonstrating her results-oriented approach and knack for creative problem-solving.
Together, Raj and Anna founded HungerMitao in 2017, a movement aimed at uniting the Indian American community to combat food insecurity. Within six years, HungerMitao expanded to multiple cities, facilitating over 55 million meals for the Feeding America network of Food Banks. Notably, the HungerMitao model has been shared with the Chinese and Hispanic communities.
Their outstanding contributions to philanthropy have garnered recognition and accolades:
• August 2021: Raj and Anna honored as top 100 philanthropists of Indian origin.
• August 2022: President Joe Biden awarded them the prestigious "Lifetime Achievement" medal.
• January 2023: Raj was selected as one of the prominent Indo-Americans in "Jewels of India: Leading Indo-American Personalities (Vol II)" where his personal, professional, and philanthropic journey is highlighted along with that of other leaders like US Vice President Kamala Harris and Google CEO Sundar Pichai.
• May 2023: Hunger Free America commended the impactful HungerMitao movement and honored Raj and Anna Asava for their tireless efforts.
• November 2023: Anna and Raj received the 2023 National Philanthropy Day Outstanding Volunteer Fundraisers award from the Association of Fundraising Professionals.
The Asavas' dedication to eradicating hunger and their innovative approach through HungerMitao have left a lasting impact on communities in need.