Editors note: This article was updated with Shefali Desai's correct age, Dr. Erica Desai's title and with the estimated donation amount from the December donation drive.

Sisters Shefali and Maya Desai have long been active members of the Fort Bend County community, participating in school athletics and arts in Fort Bend ISD as well as volunteering.

A conversation with their mother, a veterinarian, opened their eyes to an opportunity to start their own initiative to bring pet food to the county’s overpopulated animal shelters.

Dr. Erica Desai, who is the medical director of Bissonnet Veterinary Hospital, told her daughters clients would bring in unused food when their pets passed away, Shefali Desai said.

“We were just like, ‘Hey, this would be a great idea to start something where we could actually do something good with this food,’” Shefali Desai said.
In December, Asha's Food Bank organized donation drives at drives at Don Cook Natatorium, Clements High School, and Fort Settlement Middle School. (Courtesy Asha's Food Bank)
In December, Asha's Food Bank organized donation drives at drives at Don Cook Natatorium, Clements High School, and Fort Settlement Middle School. (Courtesy Asha's Food Bank)
How it happened


Shefali and Maya Desai, age 16 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 nearly 300 pounds of dog and cat food to CAP and other local shelters, Shefali Desai said.

“Essentially, it's kind of like running a business. It was really cool to learn how I approach things like that and ... organizing and going head first into a project. I learned a lot about how I cope with obstacles and having to kind of move past that,” Maya Desai said.

Currently, Shefali and Maya Desai have set up official pet food donation boxes with the AFB logo at Animal Hospital Highway 6, Sugar Land Veterinary Specialists & Emergency Care, Bissonnet Veterinary Hospital and Oyster Creek Animal Hospital, Shefali Desai said.


Asha's Food Bank has donated to many animal shelters across the Houston area, including the Citizen's for Animal Protection, where Shefali and Maya adopted Asha in 2020. (Courtesy Asha's Food Bank)
Asha's Food Bank has donated to many animal shelters across the Houston area, including the Citizen's for Animal Protection, where Shefali and Maya adopted Asha in 2020. (Courtesy Asha's Food Bank)
Zooming out

Through their community outreach, Shefali and Maya Desai have expanded their network to care for the animal population in the Houston area. Their work has led them to meet community members that represent the diversity of the area outside of their neighborhoods, Shefali Desai said.

“I think a big part [of my volunteering experience] is seeing the different walks of life that are in our community. I think especially living in Fort Bend [County] and Sugar Land, it's easy to kind of have a very narrow viewpoint on everything,” Shefali Desai said. “There is so much diversity and privilege here.”

Reach out


If veterinarian offices or community centers are interested in partnering with Asha’s Food Bank for a donation drop-off box, they could contact Shefali and Maya Desai at [email protected].
The animal food has been donated to Citizens for Animal Protection, Rosenberg Animal Shelter, and Missouri City Animal Shelter. (Courtesy Asha's Food Bank)
The animal food has been donated to Citizens for Animal Protection, Rosenberg Animal Shelter, and Missouri City Animal Shelter. (Courtesy Asha's Food Bank)