Nakayoshi Initiative Joins the North Texas Food Bank in the Fight Against Hunger
April 18 2024 - 8:33AM
The North Texas Food Bank (NTFB) announced the formation of the
Nakayoshi Initiative, the newest cultural affinity group to join
the organization in its fight against hunger. The Nakayoshi
Initiative is a volunteer-driven grassroots movement to channel
resources and contributions of the Japanese community to fight
hunger through the work of the North Texas Food Bank.
The Japanese affinity group celebrated its founding during an
April 6, 2024, event at NTFB’s Perot Family Campus that featured
State Sen. Nathan Johnson, Plano Mayor John Muns, NiHao Food Bank
Initiative founder James Huang, HungerMitao founders Raj and Anna
Asava, and Dr. Sam Shichijo, the honorary consul of Japan in Dallas
who is spearheading the Nakayoshi Initiative.
“The North Texas Food Bank is excited about the formation of the
Nakayoshi Initiative and so grateful for the commitment and support
of the Japanese American community in looking for ways to
contribute to addressing the complex issue of food insecurity,”
said NTFB President and CEO Trisha Cunningham. “Nakayoshi roughly
translates to ‘good friend,’ and we are excited about having this
organization as friends of the Food Bank as we work together to
close the hunger gap and strive for a hunger-free, healthy North
Texas.”
Nakayoshi Initiative joins HungerMitao, Niaho Food Bank
Initiative and SinHambre as the latest cultural affinity group.
Nakayoshi will work to bring together the Japanese community in
North Texas to increase awareness of food insecurity while
supporting the NTFB’s mission of closing the hunger gap through
advocacy, volunteerism and financial donations. Already, the group
has scheduled a volunteer shift for later this month.
“Through the Nakayoshi Initiative, the Japanese community is
helping bridge the hunger gap in North Texas,” said Dr. Sam
Shichijo. “For the nearly 640,000 people facing hunger in North
Texas, it is critical that our community come together to provide
children, seniors and adults with a hunger free future.”
For more information on how to help make North Texas a
hunger-free community, visit https://ntfb.org/get-involved/
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About the North Texas Food Bank:
The North Texas Food Bank (NTFB) is a top-ranked non-profit
hunger-relief organization that sources, packages and distributes
food through a network of about 500 Partner Agencies and
organizations across 13 North Texas counties. The organization also
provides food to children, seniors and families through various
direct-delivery programs, including mobile pantries.
In its last fiscal year, the NTFB provided access to more than
144 million nutritious meals or nearly 400,000 meals a day, a 5%
percent increase over the prior year. The North Texas Food Bank is
designated a 4-Star Exceptional organization by Charity Navigator
based on its governance, integrity and financial stability,
and is ranked 89th on Forbes 2023 Top 100 Charities
in America. NTFB is a member of Feeding America, the nation’s
largest hunger-relief organization. For more information,
www.ntfb.org.
- Nakayoshi Initiative Joins the NTFB in the Fight Against
Hunger
Jeff Smith
North Texas Food Bank
469-891-7022
jeff.smith@ntfb.org