Student-run nonprofit Asha’s Food Bank provides pet food to animal shelters

Shefali and Maya Desai, age 17 and 14, respectively, founded Asha’s Food Bank in November. The nonprofit takes its namesake from their dog, Asha, a female chihuahua mix they adopted from Citizens for Animal Protection in 2020. They have since organized drives at community centers and veterinarian offices to deliver 200 pounds of dog and cat food to CAP and other local shelters, Shefali Desai said.