diff --git a/backend/src/donations/donations.controller.ts b/backend/src/donations/donations.controller.ts
index 1619d74e..6ef42490 100644
--- a/backend/src/donations/donations.controller.ts
+++ b/backend/src/donations/donations.controller.ts
@@ -120,26 +120,49 @@ export class DonationsController {
     return this.donationsService.updateStatus(id, updateDto.status, req.user.userId);
   }
 
+  @Patch(':id/pickup')
+  @UseGuards(JwtAuthGuard)
+  @ApiBearerAuth()
+  @ApiOperation({ summary: 'Confirm food donation pickup (Volunteer only)' })
+  @ApiResponse({
+    status: 200,
+    description: 'Donation picked up successfully'
+  })
+  @ApiResponse({
+    status: 400,
+    description: 'Invalid state or unauthorized'
+  })
+  @ApiResponse({
+    status: 404,
+    description: 'Donation not found'
+  })
+  pickup(
+    @Param('id') id: string,
+    @Req() req: any,
+  ) {
+    return this.donationsService.pickup(id, req.user.userId);
+  }
+
   @Patch(':id/deliver')
   @UseGuards(JwtAuthGuard)
   @ApiBearerAuth()
-  @ApiOperation({ summary: 'Mark a food donation as delivered' })
+  @ApiOperation({ summary: 'Confirm food donation delivery (Volunteer only)' })
   @ApiResponse({
     status: 200,
-    description: 'Donation marked as delivered successfully'
+    description: 'Donation delivered successfully'
   })
   @ApiResponse({
     status: 400,
-    description: 'Donation already delivered or mismatch'
+    description: 'Invalid state or unauthorized'
   })
   @ApiResponse({
     status: 404,
     description: 'Donation not found'
   })
-  markAsDelivered(
+  deliver(
     @Param('id') id: string,
     @Req() req: any,
   ) {
-    return this.donationsService.markAsDelivered(id, req.user.userId);
+    return this.donationsService.deliver(id, req.user.userId);
   }
 }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/backend/src/donations/donations.service.ts b/backend/src/donations/donations.service.ts
index 0b820a02..e95fe85c 100644
--- a/backend/src/donations/donations.service.ts
+++ b/backend/src/donations/donations.service.ts
@@ -152,34 +152,60 @@ export class DonationsService {
     });
   }
 
-  async markAsDelivered(id: string, userId: string) {
+  async pickup(id: string, userId: string) {
     return await this.donationsRepository.manager.transaction(async transactionalEntityManager => {
       const donation = await transactionalEntityManager.findOne(Donation, { where: { id } });
+      const user = await transactionalEntityManager.findOne(User, { where: { id: userId } });
 
       if (!donation) {
         throw new NotFoundException('Donation not found');
       }
-
-      if (donation.claimedById !== userId) {
-        throw new BadRequestException('You can only mark your claimed donations as delivered');
+      if (!user) {
+        throw new NotFoundException('User not found');
       }
-
-      if (donation.status === DonationStatus.DELIVERED) {
-        throw new BadRequestException('Donation already marked as delivered');
+      if (user.role !== UserRole.VOLUNTEER) {
+        throw new BadRequestException('Only volunteers can confirm pickups');
+      }
+      if (donation.status !== DonationStatus.CLAIMED) {
+        throw new BadRequestException('Donation must be claimed before pickup');
       }
 
+      donation.status = DonationStatus.PICKED_UP;
+      donation.volunteerId = userId;
+      donation.pickedUpAt = new Date();
+
+      return await transactionalEntityManager.save(donation);
+    });
+  }
+
+  async deliver(id: string, userId: string) {
+    return await this.donationsRepository.manager.transaction(async transactionalEntityManager => {
+      const donation = await transactionalEntityManager.findOne(Donation, { where: { id } });
       const user = await transactionalEntityManager.findOne(User, { where: { id: userId } });
+
+      if (!donation) {
+        throw new NotFoundException('Donation not found');
+      }
       if (!user) {
         throw new NotFoundException('User not found');
       }
+      if (user.role !== UserRole.VOLUNTEER) {
+        throw new BadRequestException('Only volunteers can confirm deliveries');
+      }
+      if (donation.status !== DonationStatus.PICKED_UP) {
+        throw new BadRequestException('Donation must be picked up before delivery');
+      }
 
-      // Update status to DELIVERED
       donation.status = DonationStatus.DELIVERED;
+      donation.deliveredAt = new Date();
 
-      // Decrement current intake load
-      user.currentIntakeLoad = Math.max(0, user.currentIntakeLoad - donation.quantity);
+      // Also finalize the NGO's intake load
+      const ngo = await transactionalEntityManager.findOne(User, { where: { id: donation.claimedById } });
+      if (ngo) {
+        ngo.currentIntakeLoad = Math.max(0, ngo.currentIntakeLoad - donation.quantity);
+        await transactionalEntityManager.save(ngo);
+      }
 
-      await transactionalEntityManager.save(user);
       return await transactionalEntityManager.save(donation);
     });
   }
@@ -199,7 +225,18 @@ export class DonationsService {
 
       const oldStatus = donation.status;
 
-      // If setting to DELIVERED, use the existing logic (which also decrements load)
+      // Prevent invalid state transitions
+      if (status === DonationStatus.PICKED_UP && oldStatus !== DonationStatus.CLAIMED) {
+        throw new BadRequestException('Donation must be CLAIMED before it can be PICKED_UP');
+      }
+      if (status === DonationStatus.DELIVERED && oldStatus !== DonationStatus.PICKED_UP) {
+        throw new BadRequestException('Donation must be PICKED_UP before it can be DELIVERED');
+      }
+      if (status === DonationStatus.CLAIMED && oldStatus !== DonationStatus.AVAILABLE) {
+        throw new BadRequestException('Donation must be AVAILABLE before it can be CLAIMED');
+      }
+
+      // If setting to DELIVERED, decrement NGO intake load
       if (status === DonationStatus.DELIVERED) {
         if (oldStatus === DonationStatus.DELIVERED) {
           throw new BadRequestException('Donation already marked as delivered');
@@ -210,12 +247,9 @@ export class DonationsService {
           user.currentIntakeLoad = Math.max(0, user.currentIntakeLoad - donation.quantity);
           await transactionalEntityManager.save(user);
         }
-
-        donation.status = DonationStatus.DELIVERED;
-        return await transactionalEntityManager.save(donation);
       }
 
-      // If reversing a claim (CLAIMED/PICKED_UP -> AVAILABLE), decrement load
+      // If reversing a claim (CLAIMED/PICKED_UP -> AVAILABLE), decrement load and clear tracking fields
       if (status === DonationStatus.AVAILABLE && (oldStatus === DonationStatus.CLAIMED || oldStatus === DonationStatus.PICKED_UP)) {
         const user = await transactionalEntityManager.findOne(User, { where: { id: donation.claimedById } });
         if (user) {
@@ -223,6 +257,8 @@ export class DonationsService {
           await transactionalEntityManager.save(user);
         }
         donation.claimedById = null;
+        donation.volunteerId = null;
+        donation.pickedUpAt = null;
       }
 
       donation.status = status;
diff --git a/backend/src/donations/entities/donation.entity.ts b/backend/src/donations/entities/donation.entity.ts
index ff2042e1..acd1ae91 100644
--- a/backend/src/donations/entities/donation.entity.ts
+++ b/backend/src/donations/entities/donation.entity.ts
@@ -64,6 +64,15 @@ export class Donation {
   @Column({ nullable: true })
   claimedById: string;
 
+  @Column({ nullable: true })
+  volunteerId: string;
+
+  @Column({ type: 'timestamp', nullable: true })
+  pickedUpAt: Date;
+
+  @Column({ type: 'timestamp', nullable: true })
+  deliveredAt: Date;
+
   @Column({ type: 'timestamp', nullable: true })
   expiryTime: Date;