On April 2, 2025, ambassadors from the NiHao Food Bank Initiative joined the North
Texas Food Bank (NTFB) for NTFB Advocacy Day at the Texas State Capitol in
Austin. Walking alongside NTFB representatives—including Trisha Cunningham, John
Jenkins, and Erica Yaeger—NiHao made a memorable appearance in support of food
access and health equity.

Among the NiHao delegation were high school students participating in the Youth Civic
Engagement Program, who focused their advocacy on streamlining SNAP and
increasing funding for the Food is Medicine program.
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Walking tirelessly through the Capitol’s halls, the NiHao Youth Ambassadors visited
over ten legislative offices, delivering tailored fact sheets and heartfelt messages about
how these policies would positively impact communities across Texas. Many
ambassadors spoke from personal experience, sharing stories from their own districts and schools—stories of elderly individuals losing Medicaid access, children struggling to find meals during summer, and patients unable to maintain adequate nutrition.

After months of in-depth research using news reports, state publications, and field
surveys, the ambassadors developed a clear understanding of the shortcomings of SNAP
in Texas. A small group even visited senior homes in North Texas to speak directly with
elders affected by inefficient SNAP and Medicaid systems. In addition, the team explored
how Food is Medicine can provide nutritious, medically tailored meals to improve health
outcomes and reduce long-term healthcare costs.
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From March through May, the Texas Legislature hosts Bill Hearings and Floor
Considerations, where state senators determine which proposals to support. On this day,
Senator Brandon Creighton introduced the Food Bank Proclamation on the Senate
floor, which quickly gained support from fellow senators. Representatives acknowledged
food banks in their districts, while advocates, including the NiHao ambassadors, watched from the gallery—witnessing their efforts recognized in real time.

This advocacy goes beyond raising awareness about hunger. It’s about gaining statewide
support, empowering youth, and spotlighting food banks across North Texas. In a
conversation with Texas House Representative Morgan Meyer, the ambassadors spoke
with clarity, passion, and conviction. For them, this was more than civic engagement—it
was a transformative moment of action and unity. It was about using their voices to make

a lasting impact and live the NiHao slogan: "Give where you live."

This past Saturday, our amazing NiHao volunteers rolled up their sleeves and showed up with heart and hustle for our monthly packing event!

We packed hundreds of meals to support the North Texas Food Bank and help families in need. Every box packed is a step closer to a community where no one goes hungry.

Last Saturday, our amazing NiHao volunteers, along with members of the local Chinese American community and Texas Instruments, came together for our quarterly Mega-Packing Day at NTFB!

Our volunteers not only packed and boxed more than 40,000 meals for those in need but also celebrated the incredible success of our NiHao Restaurant Meal Reward Cards campaign.
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We appreciate our dedicated volunteers and partner restaurants for your unwavering support in the fight against hunger!

Last weekend, NiHao team rolled up our sleeves at the North Texas Food Bank, working hard to
fight hunger and support our community. Our team at NiHao Food Bank Initiative packed
thousands of meals with purpose, helping those facing food insecurity across North Texas. Every
meal packed is a step toward a future where no one has to go hungry. Together, we’re stronger!

Packing up hope, one meal at a time!  On our last packing day, we packed 26,400
pounds of food. Grateful for the chance to give back and make a difference. Together, we’re
helping fight hunger in our community.

Every month, members of our dedicated team -made of parents and student ambassadors from
our youth program- come together to pack box meals for individuals, families in need, and kids
in need across North Texas. Today our team of 19 volunteers packed 4,800 pounds worth of
snacks for kids in need. In total we helped prepare 4,000 meals. These opportunities are a
powerful way for NiHao volunteers to take direct action and make an impact in our community
to fight against food insecurity.
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We’re so thankful for our outstanding volunteers and look forward to continuing this impactful
work. Teamwork makes the dream work! Let’s keep fighting hunger -Go NiHao! 

Thank you to everyone who joined our September packing shift! Our wonderful volunteers packed 9,000 meals for Food 4 Kids. Our team is grateful for everyone’s time and effort to make a difference in our community and work towards food security. Thank you for being a part of the solution, and we hope to see you next time! 

In our August packing shift, our amazing volunteers packed 38,863 nutritious
meals for families in need. We're deeply grateful for your time and effort—your
hard work makes a real difference in our community. Events like these show the power of teamwork. Every meal packaged is a step toward food security for all. Thank you for being part of the solution!