San Ramon high schooler builds app to track nonprofit meal deliveries

SAN RAMON, Calif. — What began as a family volunteering tradition has turned into a technology project with a practical purpose for a Bay Area nonprofit.

Ishaan Ahuja, a 16-year-old junior at Dougherty Valley High School in San Ramon, has developed Seva Track, a web application designed to help Seva Commons Foundation organize volunteers, schedule meal-bag deliveries and track contributions.

The Pleasanton-based nonprofit recognized Ahuja's work with a Special Recognition Award in October 2026. The recognition coincided with the foundation's October 10 fundraising and volunteer appreciation event in Pleasanton.

For Ahuja, the project grew out of firsthand experience with the challenges of coordinating volunteer work.

"I have been a volunteer for Seva Commons since 2023, making monthly meal bags," Ahuja said in written responses provided to San Ramon Times.

He explained that coordinating deliveries previously required WhatsApp polls, individual confirmation messages, reminders and manual recordkeeping. Those administrative tasks could consume time that volunteers and organizers might otherwise devote to serving the community.

"That's when I decided to build something that handles all the logistics, reducing the burden for the admin and allowing for a cleaner volunteer experience," he said.

Turning volunteer experience into a technology project

Ahuja first became involved with Seva Commons while in seventh grade, when his mother signed the family up to participate in its volunteer activities. In his written responses, Ahuja noted that his family has long emphasized the concept of "seva," a Hindi word meaning service.

Preparing meal bags for people experiencing homelessness became a recurring monthly family tradition, sometimes bringing together relatives and friends.

As he grew older, Ahuja wanted to contribute something beyond the volunteer hours he was already providing.

He began developing a system that could replace several manual coordination tasks with a centralized application.

Seva Track allows volunteers to register for delivery opportunities using their name and phone number, receive automated text-message confirmations and reminders, and record completed deliveries. The system also provides organizers with information about volunteer participation and delivery activity.

According to Ahuja, volunteers can confirm deliveries by uploading photographs, while coordinators can monitor participation through a centralized interface.

Screenshots supplied to San Ramon Times show upcoming delivery schedules, sign-up information, delivery status indicators, volunteer contribution totals and options for exporting records.

Six months from idea to deployment

Ahuja said the development process took approximately six months, beginning with an initial two-week demonstration that he presented to the foundation's coordinator to build trust and interest in the concept.

After receiving encouragement to continue, he spent roughly five months building a working version.

The application uses Next.js and TypeScript for its frontend interface, Supabase for database and authentication services, Vercel for deployment, and TextBelt for automated SMS confirmations and reminders.

According to Ahuja, Seva Track was first deployed at the foundation's Pleasanton center in August 2026. He has continued refining the system based on feedback from volunteers and organizers.

One of the project's biggest challenges was designing an application that people across a wide range of ages and technical experience could use comfortably.

"The most challenging part of building the app was making sure it was simple enough for volunteers of all backgrounds to use," Ahuja said.

He described an iterative process of simplifying the workflow while preserving the features needed to manage deliveries.

Supporting an established community organization

Founded in 2021, Seva Commons Foundation is a Pleasanton-based nonprofit focused on addressing food insecurity and providing essential supplies to people in need.

Its activities include preparing and distributing meal bags, collecting food donations and organizing backpack and seasonal supply drives.

The organization lists meal-delivery operations in Alameda, Santa Clara and San Joaquin counties.

Its leadership includes CEO Anupama Narahari, whose name also appears on the recognition certificate presented to Ahuja.

The foundation's recognition of the student highlights a form of volunteer contribution that goes beyond traditional food preparation and distribution: developing tools to help organizations coordinate their work.

While Seva Track is intended to reduce administrative demands, the amount of time saved or improvement in delivery operations has not yet been independently quantified.

Looking toward wider use

Ahuja hopes to continue improving Seva Track and eventually expand it to other Seva Commons locations in California.

He has also expressed interest in making the project's source code publicly available someday, potentially allowing other volunteer organizations to adapt the technology to their own operations.

For now, the experience has reinforced his interest in using software development to address problems he encounters in his community.

"I've learned that my inspiration comes from combining my passion for building with solving for a greater good," Ahuja said.

For a student who began by packing meal bags alongside his family, the project represents another way to contribute: using technical skills to help the people who organize and deliver those supplies.