Sheth Family Leads Fight Against Hunger

Meet the Sheths, a family who does so much for Freestore Foodbank — and brings others along! Uday and Nandita Sheth are 10-year donors and central drivers of the Gandhi Food Drive in Cincinnati’s South Asian and Indian community.

“My wife and I support Freestore because we believe food is foundational,” says Uday. “People can’t meet their next level of needs without it. And it’s clear that there is so much need.”

Every October, the South Asian and Indian communities come together for the Gandhi Food Drive in celebration of the birthdate of Mahatma Gandhi. “Five years ago, I became involved in leading this drive, in collaboration with the Hindu Temple of Greater Cincinnati and the broader community in our region,” continues Uday. “Together, we raise $15,000 to $20,000 per year from 100 to 150 donors, and every year we strive to involve more people and increase our giving. I’m told this is one of the largest virtual drives Freestore holds!

“In explaining the drive, I let our community know that monetary gifts stretch much further than physical food. At Freestore, which distributes food to 614 pantry partners and has immense purchasing power, monetary donations have tremendous impact. Our [Gandhi Food] Drive helps to fill specific food gaps which Freestore tackles — such as high-protein foods and fresh vegetables and fruit.”

The Sheths also engage with their community by volunteering at the distribution center. “You get a close-up view of operations when you volunteer,” says Uday. “You see forklifts whizzing around, racks and racks of food, and walk into cold storage that’s thousands of square feet in size. I wanted others to experience it, so I created a WhatsApp group for South Asian volunteers in Cincinnati. I post about volunteer opportunities and the Gandhi Food Drive in the community chat. The group is open to anyone who wants to join, no matter their nationality or ethnic origin.

“Our South Asian community has focused on educational and professional pursuits, and I believe there is a desire to be more involved with the community. Many people are simply not aware of the region’s food insecurity, so I try to start a conversation. It makes me feel good when we realize our interconnectedness and that we’re taking care of each other one box of food at a time.”

Friends of Freestore Foodbank support our mission in multiple ways: monetary gifts, volunteering, and telling others about our work. Some create virtual online food drives that raise funds and awareness.

We’re thankful to have engaged supporters like the Sheths working to solve hunger. You can join them! Discover virtual food drives at freestorefoodbank.org/more-ways-to-give/ and volunteering at freestorefoodbank.org/volunteers.