Meet Daily Point of Light Award honoree Jiya Patel. Read her story, and nominate an outstanding volunteer or family as a Daily Point of Light.
Jiya Patel, a 17-year-old rising senior, is deeply invested in her high school. She plays on the school golf team and serves on the Honor Council. She plans events like prom and pep rallies with the Student Live Committee. But her care for the people around her extends far beyond her fellow students.
Jiya initially delved into volunteering through her local temple, serving food to guests and helping out with gardening, cleaning, and other tasks. It was a visit to her parents’ homeland, however, that inspired her biggest initiative yet. In 2023, Jiya co-founded Thrive2Gethr to reduce food waste while fighting food insecurity. By redistributing excess food from restaurants and bakeries to shelters and food banks, clients can access delicious meals that would otherwise be thrown out.
Quickly expanding, the organization now has around 1,200 members in 40 student-led chapters across the country. Together, they’ve facilitated the donation of over $100,000 worth of food. Jiya is not only changing the culture around food waste. She’s creating the framework for other student leaders to do the same in their own communities. And when she soon joins her brother as the first generation of her family to go to college, her out-of-the-box thinking will make her an excellent fit for the business or economics career she plans to pursue.
What inspired you to get started with this initiative?
A couple of years ago, I went to India with my parents and saw a lot of families without food and necessary resources. It stuck with me, and I started thinking a lot about hunger. It’s a big problem in the U.S., too. As is food waste.
I saw videos online about dumpsters of perfectly good food being thrown away. Then, I realized that food waste and people facing food insecurity could be connected to address both problems. The food already existed; it just wasn’t getting to people who needed it. That inspired me to start my own organization.
Tell us about your volunteer role with Thrive2Gethr.
In the beginning, I was reaching out to all the local restaurants myself, building the program in my community. I would make a list of 100 businesses and struggle to find any partners. Many would just say no, right off the bat. But I’d keep following up with the ones that were leaning towards maybe. I was also organizing volunteers to pick and deliver food to shelters.
As it’s grown, I’ve focused more on helping other people get started. I recruit and mentor student chapter leaders, helping them connect with restaurants. I create guides and materials to guide them through the process. And I support them with any questions they have. Overall, I spend about 30 hours a month volunteering.
What are your long-term plans or goals for the organization?
I want to keep expanding, but I want to ensure each of our chapters is still getting the support they need. We need a balance between building and maintaining what we already have.
I also want to normalize restaurants donating food. I think a big part of why they’re hesitant is because they don’t want to be held liable if someone gets sick. But there’s a national law called the Bill Emerson Good Samaritan Food Donation Act of 1996, which protects people donating food in good faith.
We give all the restaurants we ask to donate a guide, and that information is included. We speak about it as well, but I think there’s still a lack of understanding. I’d like to build awareness, so people are more willing to donate.
What’s been the most rewarding part of your work?
Giving so much food to people who need it has been rewarding to see. Depending on the location, we either donate to a facility for them to distribute to people, or we go in and give it directly to people. I’ve also enjoyed watching students help people in their communities and be invested in it the same way I am.
What have you learned through your experiences as a volunteer?
It’s a lot easier to make change when you work together. When I partner with people from my school, restaurants, and shelters, everyone’s working together towards the same goal. And everyone’s benefiting. I’ve learned a lot about teamwork.
I’ve also learned about persistence, because you have to keep going, even though many people are saying no. You have to push forward and hope that someone will end up saying yes. I don’t let things stop me when it gets hard.
Why is it important for others to get involved with causes they care about?
Everyone has to do their part to help. If you’re able to, you should at least try. It doesn’t have to be big. A lot of people feel like they need to have a lot of experience or do something large-scale for it to matter, but everything starts with one person making a decision to act.
If you care about something and you work at it, even something small can create a big ripple effect. You never know who you’ll inspire. If someone sees you doing good, that might make them want to do something good as well.
How can people take steps to address food insecurity and food waste in their own areas?
They can always start a chapter or reach out on any of our social media. They can also reach out to local restaurants. Many will say no, but one or at least one will say yes if you persist. You’ll find someone who’s willing to help. Just start small and build.
What do you want people to learn from your story?
You don’t have to be a full-grown adult to start making change. If you care about something, just start, and everything will work itself out. You can’t wait for everything to align. Nothing’s ever going to be perfect; you just have to try. The hardest part is taking that first step.
Do you want to make a difference in your community like Jiya? Find local volunteer opportunities.