Food Connect

A web application built with Next.js and Firebase that connects restaurants with NGOs to donate surplus food and combat world hunger.

Comment

Inspiration

Every year, tons of perfectly edible food go to waste while millions of people face hunger. We wanted to build a solution that bridges the gap between restaurants with surplus food and NGOs that can distribute it to those in need. The idea for Food Connect was born out of a desire to use technology to solve real-world social problems — specifically hunger and food waste.

What It Does

Food Connect is a web application that facilitates food donations between restaurants and NGOs. It works in real time and supports three roles:

  • Admin: Approves new user registrations and monitors key statistics.
  • Restaurant: Posts surplus food along with quantity, expiry time, and pickup window.
  • NGO: Views food available in their city, claims food, and marks it as picked up after collection.

The platform ensures that food is delivered efficiently, safely, and only by verified users.

How We Built It

  • Frontend: Built using Next.js App Router, with Tailwind CSS for modern UI components.
  • Backend: Powered by Firebase Firestore for real-time database syncing.
  • Authentication: Handled via Firebase Auth, enabling secure and role-based access.
  • Hosting: Deployed on Vercel with environmental variables and continuous deployment from GitHub.

Live Link: https://food-connect-75w5.vercel.app/login

Challenges We Ran Into

  • Setting up role-based access control using Firebase rules and conditionals in the app logic.
  • Implementing real-time updates using onSnapshot() without introducing performance or state bugs.
  • Fixing build errors during deployment due to leftover mock data files like data.ts and misconfigured environment variables.
  • Handling Git merge conflicts while pushing to GitHub.

Accomplishments That We're Proud Of

  • Successfully built and deployed a real-time, role-based food donation app.
  • Created a clean and intuitive admin dashboard with real-time statistics.
  • Made the app mobile-friendly and accessible to all users.
  • Learned to solve tough deployment bugs under time constraints.

What We Learned

  • Using Next.js App Router for clean routing and layout management.
  • Managing real-time data with Firebase Firestore and optimizing performance.
  • Implementing secure Firebase Auth workflows for multi-role applications.
  • Handling CI/CD and build errors on Vercel, including environmental variables and conflict resolution.

What’s Next for Food Connect

  • Email & SMS Notifications for restaurants and NGOs to stay updated on food post statuses in real-time.
  • Location-Based Matching to ensure NGOs see only nearby available food, optimizing pickup efficiency.
  • Analytics Dashboard for Admins to track food saved, pickups made, and top contributors across cities.
  • NGO-Restaurant Trust System with feedback and ratings to build reliable partnerships.
  • QR Code-Based Pickup Verification — Each approved NGO will be issued a dynamic QR code. When picking up food, restaurants will scan the NGO’s QR code to confirm handover. This will:
    • Log exact pickup time and location in the Firestore database.
    • Update the post status automatically to "Picked up".
    • Be accessible to both restaurant and NGO in their dashboard history.
  • Progressive Web App (PWA) version for offline access and better mobile usability for on-the-go pickups.

- Partnership Integrations with local food banks, municipalities, and logistics services to scale impact nationally.

Links

Built With

Share this project:

Updates