Asha Rampersad, Executive Director-President
Asha Rampersad is the founder of Act of Random Kindness (ARK), a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to closing health and resource gaps in New York City’s most underserved communities.
Her commitment to this mission is deeply personal. Asha’s life was profoundly shaped when a close loved one was born with right-sided brain damage. Through this experience, she came to understand how deeply neurological health is connected to the food we eat, and how critical proper nutrition is in supporting recovery, development, and quality of life. This realization created a sense of urgency that drives ARK’s work today—ensuring that families have both access to healthy food and the knowledge to use it for healing.
ARK began in 2012 as a grassroots book redistribution initiative that quickly grew to have international reach. As the organization expanded, Asha witnessed the direct link between food insecurity and poor health outcomes. In 2019, ARK pivoted to focus on food assistance, providing nutritious meals and pantry staples to thousands of families across New York City.
Today, Asha is leading ARK into its next strategic phase with the launch of Nutrition for NeuroRecovery. This groundbreaking program provides targeted food support and evidence-based nutrition education for children with developmental challenges and adults recovering from brain injuries. Through this initiative, ARK is advancing sustainable, data-driven solutions that not only fight hunger but also address neurological disparities at their root.
