In response to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, the Jain family is stepping up again to provide assistance to the Howard County Food Bank
Community Foundation of Howard County fundholders Rajiv and Hima Jain are passionate about caring for their community and are no strangers to helping when and where nonprofits need it most.
“When we established our donor-advised fund through the Community Foundation of Howard County, we decided to concentrate on making an impact at the intersection of education and nutrition,” says Rajiv. “Education is one of the main avenues for raising people out of poverty and adversity. Nutrition, not just food, is vital for a person to be healthy physically, emotionally and spiritually. You cannot focus if you are hungry; so, for education to be effective, nutrition is essential.”
When the pandemic struck, they were immediately drawn to find a way to help the Howard County Food Bank run by the Community Action Council (CAC), through a matching donation campaign.
According to CAC President Bita Dayhoff, “Over the past month and a half, the Food Bank has served more than 6,100 people. Normally we would serve about 2,000 people during the same time frame. This would not be possible without the support of our amazing community and generous supporters like the Jains who have responded to our call to action. We are at the beginning of what will be a long road for many families, and all donations, no matter the size, make a profound impact on those who need it most.”
“The need is now, and the need is very urgent,” says Hima. “Through a matching gift, we have the opportunity to leverage our gift to inspire and encourage others to also give. We are reaching out to our friends, neighbors and colleagues to support our efforts and encouraging them to share with their own networks.”
The Jains have established a donor web page where donations can be made directly to the Food Bank.