City Harvest
City Harvest is NYC's first and largest food rescue nonprofit, founded in 1983, that rescues surplus food from 1,000+ donors and redistributes it free of charge to food-insecure New Yorkers through 500+ partner pantries and its Mobile Markets program, funded by individual, corporate, and event donations.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1983
- HeadquartersLong Island City, United States
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What City Harvest does
City Harvest is New York City's first and largest food rescue organization, founded in 1983 and incorporated as City Harvest, Inc., a 501(c)(3) nonprofit headquartered at 150 52nd Street, Brooklyn, NY. The organization rescues surplus, nutritious food from more than 1,000 donors — including restaurants, grocery stores, food manufacturers, and corporate kitchens — and distributes it free of charge to food-insecure New Yorkers through a two-channel model: a network of 500+ partner soup kitchens and food pantries, and a direct-to-neighborhood Mobile Markets program that has operated for more than 20 years. The core technology is the logistics and cold-chain operation that moves perishable food from donor to recipient within tight time windows, coupled with food-safety compliance and route management; there is no proprietary software platform, app, or documented AI/ML component.
City Harvest's revenue is generated entirely through voluntary donations and event fundraising across three primary streams: individual giving (online, direct mail, recurring), corporate partnerships (FreshDirect, Paris Baguette, and others, plus high-profile celebrity gifts including a $1M contribution from Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce), and event revenue anchored by an annual gala (the 2018 35th-anniversary gala raised $4.6M; the 2024 gala alone funded the equivalent of 10 million meals) together with Fire & Ice, Celebrity Chefs & Friends, Canstruction NYC, and seasonal food drives. The organization is a member of the Feeding America network and operates as a designated component of NYC's Emergency Food Program, with additional program lines in nutrition and culinary education, disaster response, and an owned event venue. The served population comprises low-income individuals, working-aged households, children, and seniors experiencing food insecurity across NYC's five boroughs, with demand intensifying amid federal SNAP cut risk (an estimated 123,000 NYC residents potentially affected) and an 84% increase in food pantry and soup kitchen visits compared with 2019.
City Harvest firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- City Harvest
- Legal name
- City Harvest, Inc.
- Website
- https://cityharvest.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1983
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- City Harvest is NYC's first and largest food rescue nonprofit, founded in 1983, that rescues surplus food from 1,000+ donors and redistributes it free of charge to food-insecure New Yorkers through 500+ partner pantries and its Mobile Markets program, funded by individual, corporate, and event donations.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
City Harvest industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Food Rescue and Hunger Relief Services
- NAICS
- Community Food Services (62421), Community Food Services (624210)
- SIC
- Refuse Systems (4953)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Organics (Food/Yard) Collection (Residential & Commercial) (EUAIAAAO)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Source-Separated Organics (SSO) Collection & Hauling (EUAIAEAA)
Keywords
Where City Harvest is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Long Island City
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
City Harvest business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Operations, Personnel, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Individual Donations: City Harvest receives donations from individuals through online portals, direct mail campaigns, and event participation. The organization runs various donation drives and fundraising campaigns.
- Corporate Partnerships: Corporate donors provide financial support, food donations, and in-kind contributions. Notable corporate partnerships include FreshDirect, Paris Baguette, and major celebrity-backed donations such as the $1M Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce donation.
- Event Revenue: Annual fundraising events including the gala, Fire & Ice tasting event, and Celebrity Chefs & Friends tournament generate significant revenue. The 2024 gala reportedly raised enough to provide 10 million meals.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Free food distribution services for food-insecure New Yorkers |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels5 records
City Harvest product offering
Product offeringCore offering
City Harvest is NYC's first and largest food rescue organization, operating a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that rescues surplus nutritious food from more than 1,000 food donors and distributes it free of charge to food-insecure New Yorkers. Distribution occurs through Mobile Markets that bring fresh produce directly into underserved neighborhoods and through a network of 500+ partner soup kitchens and food pantries.
Product overview
City Harvest is NYC's first and largest food rescue organization, operating as a single unified nonprofit service rather than a platform architecture. The organization operates through interconnected programs: Food Rescue serves as the core activity of rescuing surplus food; Food Distribution channels this food to partner pantries; Mobile Markets provide direct free produce distribution to underserved neighborhoods; Nutrition Education offers dietary guidance; Disaster Response addresses emergency food needs; and The Venue serves as an event space for fundraising. These programs work together to rescue nutritious food and deliver it to New Yorkers experiencing hunger.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Food Rescue
Quantifiable outcome
- Nearly 4 million New Yorkers served through food rescue network
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use City Harvest
Customer profileNamed customers2 records
Segments1 record
Ideal customer profiles4 records
City Harvest technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
City Harvest partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Feeding AmericacoreCity Harvest is a member of the Feeding America network, the nation's largest domestic hunger-relief organization. This affiliation provides access to national resources, best practices, and a broader network of food banks.
- FreshDirectminorFreshDirect partners with City Harvest for annual turkey giveaway events, including an 8th Annual Turkey Giveaway in The Bronx, supporting food distribution efforts during holidays.
- NYC Emergency Food ProgramcoreCity Harvest serves as a key component of NYC's emergency food program alongside other food banks and emergency feeding organizations.
- Partner Food Pantries and Soup KitchenscoreCity Harvest distributes rescued food to a network of 500+ partner soup kitchens and food pantries throughout NYC, who in turn serve food-insecure New Yorkers.
- Food Donors (1,000+)coreCity Harvest rescues food from over 1,000 food donors including restaurants, grocery stores, manufacturers, and corporate kitchens that would otherwise go to waste.
Scale indicators9 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
City Harvest competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Feeding America: The nation's largest domestic hunger-relief organization and City Harvest's parent network affiliation. Operates a national federation of 200+ food banks with substantially broader geographic scope and supply chain resources.
- Meals on Wheels America: National network of 5,000+ community-based programs delivering meals primarily to seniors. Operates in an adjacent food assistance category with overlapping donor base and hunger-relief mission, but differentiated service model (home delivery to seniors).
- No Kid Hungry (Share Our Strength): National campaign focused on ending childhood hunger through advocacy, grants, and program funding. Operates adjacent to City Harvest's mission with overlapping donor demographics and broader national scope.
Emerging players
- FoodForward: A Southern California-based food rescue nonprofit that recovers surplus produce and prepared food for redistribution. Directly comparable food rescue model with a tech-forward operational approach and rapid geographic expansion.
- Food Recovery Network: National student-led nonprofit recovering surplus food from college and university dining halls. Operates a comparable food rescue model but at smaller scale and through a distinct volunteer base (students).
Direct peers
- Food Rescue US: A national nonprofit focused specifically on direct food rescue via volunteer-driven logistics, operating in multiple U.S. cities. Directly comparable service model of rescuing surplus food from donors and delivering to agencies serving food-insecure people.
- God's Love We Deliver: NYC-based nonprofit that cooks and home-delivers medically tailored meals to people living with serious illness. Comparable NYC-based food services nonprofit with overlapping donor base and volunteer infrastructure.
- Food Bank for New York City: NYC's other large-scale food rescue and food bank organization directly competing for donor dollars, food donors, and partner pantries in the same geographic market. Highly comparable mission and target beneficiary population.
Regional players
- Regional Food Bank of Northeastern New York: Regional Feeding America food bank serving 23 counties in northeastern New York. Comparable food banking and distribution model but operates outside City Harvest's NYC geography.
- Long Island Cares: Long Island's regional food bank and hunger-relief organization serving Nassau and Suffolk counties. Operates the same food banking / food rescue model as City Harvest but in an adjacent, non-overlapping geography.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
City Harvest social profiles
Digital presenceCity Harvest financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
City Harvest leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
City Harvest funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds3 records
Investors4 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
City Harvest M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about City Harvest
What does City Harvest do?
City Harvest is NYC's first and largest food rescue organization, operating a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that rescues surplus nutritious food from more than 1,000 food donors and distributes it free of charge to food-insecure New Yorkers. Distribution occurs through Mobile Markets that bring fresh produce directly into underserved neighborhoods and through a network of 500+ partner soup kitchens and food pantries.
Is City Harvest a public or private company?
City Harvest is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was City Harvest founded?
City Harvest was founded in 1983. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is City Harvest based?
City Harvest is headquartered in Long Island City, United States, in the North America region.
How does City Harvest make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Individual Donations are the primary driver. The others are corporate Partnerships and event Revenue.
Who are City Harvest's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Feeding America, Meals on Wheels America and No Kid Hungry (Share Our Strength). Emerging players are FoodForward and Food Recovery Network. Direct peers are Food Rescue US, God's Love We Deliver and Food Bank for New York City. Regional players are Regional Food Bank of Northeastern New York and Long Island Cares.
Does City Harvest have an API?
No public API is recorded for City Harvest.
What industry is City Harvest in?
City Harvest's product category is Food Rescue and Hunger Relief Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EUAIAAAO, Organics (Food/Yard) Collection (Residential & Commercial), with a secondary code of EUAIAEAA, Source-Separated Organics (SSO) Collection & Hauling. Its NAICS code is 62421 and its SIC code is 4953.