AAPI-Led Organizations Combatting Food Insecurity

As we recently explored in this Instagram post, food security is a real and pressing problem for Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders living in the U.S., one that often goes unacknowledged and therefore unaddressed. Unprecedented job losses and sharp increases in anti-Asian hate crimes have created even more devastating obstacles to food access for AAPI communities - seniors in particular.

Misperceptions and stereotypes about Asian-American wealth has rendered community organizations underfunded and made it difficult for them to mobilize large-scale support. In California, nearly 1 in 4 AAPIs work but still struggles with poverty. In Boston, the poverty rate among Asians was nearly 26.6% in 2014. Local community organizations across the country have been working to battle food insecurity and deliver food aid to Asian-Americans. “Even Asian community organizations that previously didn’t work on hunger relief have now pivoted to food aid because of the urgent demand” (NBC News).

Below we’ve highlighted five organizations combatting food insecurity in AAPI communities.

Photo from Second Generation Seeds’ website

Second Generation Seeds

“Second Generation is a collective of Asian American growers devoted to the preservation and improvement of heirloom Asian herbs and vegetables. Committed to continuing our foodways, we invite our community to reclaim the narrative around Asian crops...Second Generation aspire to honor our lineages by offering high quality, organically grown, open-pollinated varieties that are invaluable to the people who love them. We hope to support and incentivize small scale seed production by creating meaningful economies for Asian-American farmers and food advocates. Through our collaborations with growers, breeders, chefs, and community organizations, we work to identify and develop desirable traits for Asian crops, in our hopes of imbuing them with relevance for the future.”

Photo from VAYLA’s website

Farm to Families: A VAYLA & VEGGI Co-Op Initiative

“In our Farm to Families Initiative, VAYLA partners with local Vietnamese farmers…to provide fresh produce, culturally integrative grocery staples, COVID-19 information, voter registration, and hurricane preparedness materials to underserved families. Since its launch, Farm to Families has provided over 500 produce boxes to New Orleans community members who would otherwise not receive aid and relief. With the in-language literature, our Farm to Families Initiative gives our community the opportunity to build awareness around civic engagement and raise their visibility around issues important to them. “

Asian Pacific Islander Forward Movement’s Food Roots Program

“Our mission is to connect local and sustainably grown Asian specialty foods to communities and businesses in the greater Los Angeles area while supporting Asian American small farms and other farmers of color in California.”

Photo from SEAMAAC’s website

Southeast Asian Mutual Assistance Associations Coalition (SEAMAAC)

“Since 1984, SEAMAAC has brought crucially needed support to tens of thousands of families in the Greater Philadelphia area. SEAMAAC stands as one of the oldest and largest refugee-founded agencies in the region... SEAMAAC has partnered with the City of Philadelphia, the Share Food Program and Philabundance to act as a food bank site for communities in South Philadelphia. We hand out over 800 boxes per week to walk up families and individuals through the City’s Food Distribution program. Boxes include non-perishable items such as canned goods and bags of rice as well as fresh produce.” 

VietAID

“The Vietnamese American Initiative for Development (VietAID) was founded in 1994 by community leaders and residents who believed that a community development corporation would provide comprehensive economic development programs and services to alleviate poverty and advance civic participation in the Fields Corner Vietnamese community of Dorchester, [Boston].” When the pandemic hit, VietAID swiftly pivoted its focus to feeding the food insecure in its area, partnering with the city and local partners to set up food distribution.