Help a 19-YO Student Take Warm Clothes to 400 People Struggling Through Winter in Lucknow

In Lucknow, winter announces itself before sunrise.

The streets are still. Tea stalls are shut. Buses have not started running. On pavements and under flyovers, people wake up to air that cuts into bare skin. Children curl their toes inside worn slippers. Some have no slippers at all.

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For families living without shelter, winter brings more than discomfort. A sudden drop in temperature can mean fever, chest infections, or days without work. A missed meal weakens the body faster in the cold. For children from underprivileged and tribal communities, winter often arrives without sweaters, socks, or shoes. Many still walk long distances every morning, trying to stay well enough to attend informal classes or help their families earn a living.

Most of us respond to winter by layering up. We add blankets. We sip something warm. For thousands across Lucknow, there is no such buffer.

Today, we are inviting you to share that warmth. 

How you can help right now

Across Lucknow, young volunteers are ensuring that winter does not become a sentence of suffering for those on the streets. One such effort comes from Praan Foundation, a Lucknow-based organisation leading a winter donation drive across the city’s most vulnerable communities.

Their focus stays clear and practical. Clean, usable winter essentials reach people directly, hand to hand. Every jacket, pair of socks, blanket, and meal matters. And every donation becomes an act of care.

If you are wondering how you can be part of this effort, the simplest way is to donate through the QR code or bank details below. You can become the reason someone stays warm this winter.

Donate here: 

UPI ID: 6307981010.682@sbi

Bank transfer details:
Account Number: 44286837182
IFSC Code: SBIN0003223
Bank: SBI, Nishatganj Branch, Lucknow

From a college collective to a citywide effort

Praan began its journey in 2022 as a socio-cultural society at Lucknow University.

Formed by students, the collective believed creativity and community service belonged together. Social causes shaped Praan’s identity from the start through social drives, awareness initiatives, and stage performances created with purpose.

In January 2025, the collective formally became Praan Foundation, registered under the Government of Uttar Pradesh. This step gave the group greater structure, accountability, and reach.

The foundation was started by four founding members: Anurag Pandey, Nikita Chand, Raj Verma, and Shikhar Singhania. They continue to receive consistent support from Akhilesh Pandey, Pramudit Pandey, Vivek Soni, Om Shree Maurya, Kavya Chaturvedi, and several others who shape Praan’s on-ground work.

Their shared belief remains simple: care should reach people where they are, especially when they need it the most. If you feel the same way, this is a chance to step in and support the change this young group is working towards every day.

Help Lucknow’s youth keep the city warm

This winter donation drive is being coordinated by Shagun Pal, a 19-year-old B.Sc. student at Lucknow University and the social drive representative for the initiative.

“Winter hits the streets very differently. For people without homes, warm clothes are survival,” Shagun tells The Better India. “We wanted to ensure that what we give is dignified, usable, and reaches people directly.”

Promotional efforts for the drive began in late October, with collections starting in November. Donation boxes and desks were placed across the Lucknow University campus, drawing steady participation from students and faculty.

Warm clothes, footwear, food, raw grains, stationery, and donations kept coming in, and each donor received a small e-certificate as a thank-you. What tied all of it together was a shared urgency. No one should have to face the cold without basic warmth.

When you contribute, you help close that gap.

What happens after you donate

Every item collected is sorted, cleaned, and packed by Praan’s volunteers with care.

Around 700 individual articles were organised into nearly 300 complete clothing sets, prepared separately for children, women, and men.

With the support of Prof Onkar Prasad, Head of the Department of Physics, and Prof Uday Pratap Singh, Head of the Department of Anthropology, the foundation conducted multiple distribution drives across Lucknow.

Volunteers reached Daliganj slum, walked through the streets of Old Lucknow at night, and distributed essentials at the Missionaries of Charity in Hazratganj. An upcoming visit to Adarsh Kusht Ashram in Alambagh is also part of the ongoing effort.

“So far, we have distributed around 500 clothing articles, reaching nearly 250 to 300 homeless and underprivileged individuals across Lucknow,” says Shagun. “By the end of the winter drive, we hope to support close to 400 people.”

Read that again. That number is not abstract. That’s 400 people waiting for warmth during this harsh winter. Will you help reach them?

What support looks like beyond winterwear

When winter tightens its grip, people need more than just warm clothes. They need food to keep their strength up, shoes to protect their feet, and basic supplies that help them hold on to daily routines. These small things often decide how well someone gets through the season.

Praan Foundation welcomes donations in kind, including:

• Clean and usable winter clothing

• Footwear

• Edible items

• Raw grains

• Stationery

If you are able to give, a financial contribution helps put essentials directly into people’s hands and keeps this work going through the winter.

Donate here: 

UPI ID: 6307981010.682@sbi

Bank transfer details:
Account Number: 44286837182
IFSC Code: SBIN0003223
Bank: SBI, Nishatganj Branch, Lucknow

Beyond donating, you can also step in by volunteering. Praan runs winter distribution drives, gender sensitisation sessions in schools, and Praan Pathshala (education centre), where volunteers spend time teaching and mentoring underprivileged children. This winter, your time and care can reach someone who truly needs it.

To support Praan Foundation or join their on-ground efforts:

Call or WhatsApp: 9264932441
Instagram: @the_praan

This winter will be remembered very differently by different people. For some, it will be about extra blankets and warm meals. 

For others, it will be about getting through each night. If you can help tilt that balance even slightly, this is a chance to do so. Because for someone out in the cold, that help can make a world of difference.

All images courtesy Shagun Pal