It was the night of my sister's wedding in Lucknow. Like most Indian weddings, we had arranged food for about 500 guests. However, due to unexpected rains, only about 350 guests could make it. We were left with food for almost 150 people, and the thought of it going to waste was heartbreaking.
My cousin told me about AnnaJyoti. At 10 PM, I quickly created an account and posted the details — fresh vegetable biryani, paneer butter masala, naan, and gulab jamun for about 150 people. I marked it as urgent since the food would spoil by morning.
Within 30 minutes, I received a notification that Hope Foundation, a verified NGO just 3 km away, had claimed the donation. A volunteer named Rahul arrived at 10:45 PM with proper containers. By 11:30 PM, he sent photos of 200 smiling children at Asha Kiran Orphanage enjoying the meal.
What could have been waste became a feast for children who rarely get such treats. The joy on their faces in those photos moved me to tears. Since then, I've made it a point to post any excess food from family events on AnnaJyoti.
This platform is truly a blessing. It connects those who have surplus with those who have need, seamlessly and quickly. I encourage every family to use AnnaJyoti for their events. Don't let food go to waste when there are hungry children just a few kilometers away.
This is so inspiring! I'll definitely use AnnaJyoti for my daughter's birthday party next week.
God bless you Priya! Those children will remember this kindness forever.
Hope Foundation does amazing work. I've donated through them multiple times.