About Dr. Dave Nayak
Dr. Dave MD MPH, is a husband, father, physician, social entrepreneur and farmer. He has a deep commitment to community service and impacting the lives of Illinoisians.
Dr. Dave believes community development depends on the service of its members. He has dedicated his life to being a good neighbor to those experiencing pain and hardship.
Dr. Dave puts People first.
Dr. Dave’s achievements make him uniquely qualified to be our next Illinois State Senator.
Improving Healthcare Access
As the Founder and President of the Strength to Love Foundation (STL), a 501(c)(3) non-profit, Dr. Dave established the STL Free Asthma & Allergy Clinic. This subspecialty medical clinic serves uninsured patients in Chicago and the 20th District. The clinic provides subspecialty asthma and allergy care for children to seniors, including evaluations, testing, medications, labs, and imaging.
Most recently, Dr. Dave served migrants sent here from Texas and Colorado. At a free clinic co-hosted with Vituity Cares, Dr. Dave and his colleagues treated patients being housed at police districts across Chicago.
Tackling Hunger
Dr. Dave is the Founder of Nayak Farms, a commercial agricultural farm in Gardner, Illinois. In 2021, Dr. Dave created the Nayak Farms Hunger Initiative with the goal of tackling hunger in Illinois and the Midwest. This initiative has fed over 500,000 food-insecure individuals in Illinois by delivering fresh, specialty crop produce like sweet corn and green beans to Food Banks, Food Pantries, churches, and community gardens throughout Illinois and the Midwest.
Dr. Dave authored the Illinois Farmers Who End Hunger Act (Hunger Act). This Act encourages other Illinois farmers to donate their produce or yield equivalent to Food Banks for capped tax credits. If 10% of Illinois Farmers participate, this program would generate almost 100,000,000 new meals annually to help feed the hungry in Illinois.
As your next Illinois State Senator, Dr. Dave will fight to eliminate hunger by improving access to food banks and pantries, increasing food donations and addressing the food waste crisis.
Legislative Achievements
Dr. Dave’s dedication to social impact extends to the legislative arena. He authored and successfully passed the bipartisan Mychal Moulty Jr. Funeral & Burial Assistance Act that went into effect July 1, 2023. This law immediately provides $10,000 for funerals and burials of children who are victims of gun violence, easing the burden on grieving families.
Dr. Dave’s Hunger Act would create 100,000,000 new meals when farmers donate directly to local food banks. His 2024 Illinois Legislative Session plans are extensive with 5 unique pieces of legislation in the areas of addressing food waste, creating new jobs, increasing access to health care and tackling climate change.
Community Advocacy
Dr. Dave is actively involved in various community activities and public service initiatives. He serves as a Deacon at the First Presbyterian Church of Evanston and has been recognized for his efforts at the White House Conference on Hunger, Nutrition & Health by the Biden-Harris Administration. Recently, Dr. Dave was a panel speaker at the Food Tank Chicago Summit, in partnership with the White House, entitled “Empowering Eaters: Access, Affordability, and Healthy Choices.”
Education & Teaching
As an educator and mentor, Dr. Dave is committed to helping develop new leaders. He has served as a visiting lecturer at Cornell University, teaching courses on non-profit social enterprise and food justice. He currently serves as Community Advisor of adult incarcerated students in the University Without Walls-PNAP Program. During Covid-19, Dr. Dave was recognized as an expert in Covid recovery, advising restaurateurs and schools on how to safely open during a global pandemic.
Dr. Dave’s educational background includes a Doctor of Medicine degree from the University of Illinois at Chicago College of Medicine, a Master of Public Health from Drexel University School of Public Health, and a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology with Honors from Cornell University. He holds certifications from the American Board of Internal Medicine and the American Board of Allergy-Immunology.
Dr. Dave’s leadership experience, passion for service, and proven track record of community-focused initiatives, makes him uniquely qualified to serve neighbors in the Illinois’ 20th Senate District. Through his vision, leadership, and dedication, he aims to create scalable programs that uplift and empower his community, making it a better, and safer place for everyone.