Our Bureau
Chicago, IL
FIA: Federation of Indian Associations – 501(c)(3) is Chicago’s premier non-profit organization, uniting over 300,000 American Indians across the Midwest. FIA serves as the bridge between our local community, the US, and India. Led by Founder chairman Mr. Sunil Shah, FIA is dedicated to empowering and connecting our vibrant culture.
Sir Winston Churchill once said, “We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give.” FIA team embodied those words, giving their absolute best at the Feed My Starving Children (FMSC) facility at Schaumburg, IL.
What a powerful way to kick off the New Year! The members of the FIA team along with the FIA Chairman Mr. Sunil Shah, President Richa Chand gathered at the Feed My Starving Children (FMSC) facility in Schaumburg with a singular goal: to turn compassion into action. The reality of hunger is stark—every day, at least 6,200 children lose their lives to starvation. FMSC works tirelessly with partners to reverse this trend, relying on donated meals and the hands of volunteers to get food to those who need it the most.
Answering this call, almost 100 FIA members brought incredible energy, enthusiasm, and teamwork to the facility. The atmosphere was truly electric as our volunteers worked in rhythm to pack food for the hungry, labelled the packages, our energetic youth volunteers took charge of the heavy lifting in the warehouse etc.
While we were joined by teams from three other organizations, FIA was proudly the largest group in attendance. Together, we packed 162 boxes, resulting in 34,992 meals ready to be shipped to children in need. Hunger is a sad reality, and data shows that over 821 million people—one in nine on Earth—do not have enough to eat.
FIA team had a truly heartwarming experience fighting these statistics. The energy, teamwork, and compassion displayed by everyone was incredible. Each packet the team prepared was filled not just with essential ingredients like rice, soy, and vegetables, but with hope, love, and care. Together, FIA team helped FMSC contribute $10,147.68 worth of food.
Gratitude & Acknowledgments: This was more than just a volunteer event; it was a reminder of the power we hold when we unite for a common cause to serve the community we live in.
None of this would have been possible without the remarkable efforts of FIA Founder and Chairman Sunil Shah, and the new president Mrs. Richa Chand. Although FIA immediate past president Mrs. Anu Malhotra and current President Mr. Altaf Bukhari were unable to attend due to vacation, President Ms. Richa Chand took the lead, inspiring the team and ensuring everyone arrived promptly. The team also admired the contributions of General Secretary Ms. Kamlesh Kapoor and her counterpart, General Secretary Mr. Anshul Bindal, for their outstanding support.
The precious moments of internal joy and enthusiasm that radiated from the team were captured by FIA executive VP Ajanta Talukdar, VP of membership Mr. Manoj Rathod, Ms. Hina Trivedi, Cultural Secretary Ms. Fal Rana and many more. VP of Membership, Mr. Smitesh Shah, Joint secretary Dinesh Kapoor, Treasurer Mr. Vaishal Talati were also helping the team and managing FIA Banners etc. Special Thanks to our senior group led by FIA Event Management lead Ms. Asha Mehta, who showed their heartfelt compassion by labelling almost 2,000 packages. Many of FIA directors; Mr. Rajesh Narayan, Mr. Cecil Joseph, Mr. Subhash Iyer and Mr. RV Reddy also joined in with genuine enthusiasm, travelling from both near and far to support the event.
Overall, the FIA team initiated its 2026 event calendar by giving back. The energy at the Feed My Starving Children (FMSC) Schaumburg facility was absolutely inspiring, bringing hope and empowerment to the fight against global hunger.
Following this successful service project, the FIA team, guided by its leadership, is now gearing up for its next major milestone: FIA’s signature celebration of India’s 77th Republic Day, on January 22nd, 2026.
