The Food Bank of Northeast Georgia

What The Food Bank of Northeast Georgia does

The Food Bank of Northeast Georgia is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 1992 and headquartered in Athens, Georgia, that mobilizes food across a 15-county service area in Northeast Georgia through a network of 230+ member partner organizations, mobile pantry distributions, and direct-to-neighbor channels. It operates two strategic branch locations — the main 63,000-square-foot Athens distribution center opened in June 2024, and the Mountain Branch in Clayton/Rabun County opened in 2016 — the latter of which includes a teaching kitchen for community cooking classes and a commercial kitchen available to local food entrepreneurs. The organization also runs a Clayton Farmers Market, a SNAP benefits application assistance program (using the mRelief screener and Georgia Gateway), community meeting room rentals, and a volunteer program structured around the Bloomerang Volunteer platform.

The underlying technology is a thin SaaS operations layer rather than a proprietary platform: members order and manage inventory through the Primarius member portal, donors give via Classy.org virtual food drives, volunteers register and track shifts through Bloomerang, and SNAP screening is embedded via mRelief. The Member Distribution Network — soup kitchens, food pantries, senior centers, faith-based organizations, and education-based groups — accesses bulk food through online ordering and physical "sharing floor" operations at both branch locations. Reported operational performance includes 8.8 million pounds of food mobilized in 2025 with 70% of distributions being fresh or frozen produce.

Revenue is generated through individual donations, corporate partnerships (Walmart, Kroger, Bank of America, Georgia Power Foundation, Jackson EMC Foundation, Publix Super Markets Charities, Skanska, and others), grants (including a $465,000 gift from Jeff Bezos in 2020), annual member organization fees ($100/year plus a $0.18/pound Shared Maintenance Fee), event fundraising (notably the Empty Bowl event), planned giving and donor-advised funds, merchandise sales through the Abundance Apparel Bonfire store (launched June 2025), and ancillary facility rentals. The organization reports that 92% of every donated dollar is directed to programs, and serves a regional population in which 1 in 6 children and 1 in 12 seniors face food insecurity.

Name

The Food Bank of Northeast Georgia

Legal name

Food Bank of Northeast Georgia

Website

https://foodbanknega.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1992

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Food Bank of Northeast Georgia is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1992 that distributes food across 15 Northeast Georgia counties through 230+ member partner organizations, mobile pantries, and direct-to-neighbor channels from its Athens headquarters and Clayton Mountain Branch.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Hunger Relief Services

NAICS

Community Food Services (62421)

SIC

Wholesale-Groceries, General Line (5141)

akta.pro primary industry

Food Assistance & Food Banks (BPAGAEAA)

Keywords

• Food bank services
• Hunger relief programs
• Food distribution network
• Nonprofit member services
• Community nutrition support

Headquarters

HQ city

Athens

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: Individual donors contribute funds to support food acquisition and distribution operations. The Food Bank states that $2 helps feed a family by distributing 5 balanced meals.
2. Corporate Partnerships: Corporate partners provide financial grants, in-kind donations, cause marketing support, event sponsorships, and employee matching programs.
3. Membership Fees: Member organizations pay $100 annual membership fee and $0.18/pound Shared Maintenance Fee for food access.
4. Event Fundraising: Annual Empty Bowl fundraiser and other signature events generate revenue.
5. Abundance Apparel: Merchandise sales through Bonfire store, with 100% of proceeds supporting the mission.
6. Planned Giving & Endowments: Donor advised funds, stock donations, IRA contributions, and planned giving options.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

The Food Bank of Northeast Georgia acquires, warehouses, and distributes food through mobile pantry events, a sharing floor, and a network of 230+ member partner organizations that distribute directly to individuals and families facing food insecurity across 15 Northeast Georgia counties. The organization also delivers SNAP application assistance, cooking education through a Teaching Kitchen, food entrepreneur support via a Commercial Kitchen, and runs a seasonal Farmers Market, all funded by individual donations, corporate partnerships, grants, and member fees.

Product overview

The Food Bank of Northeast Georgia operates a comprehensive food security ecosystem built around its core food distribution network and member partnership model. The primary offerings include Mobile Pantry Program (large-scale food distribution events serving communities across 15 counties), the Member Distribution Network (230+ partner organizations receiving food and support), and SNAP Benefits Assistance (application help). Supporting services include a Teaching Kitchen (free cooking education at Clayton branch), Commercial Kitchen (rental facility for food entrepreneurs), Recipe Library (educational resource), Clayton Farmers Market, and Community Meeting Rooms. The organization also offers Volunteer Programs and Corporate Partnership opportunities for community engagement. Technology infrastructure includes a Primarius-based Member Portal for partner ordering and Bloomerang Volunteer for volunteer management. The Abundance Apparel merchandise line (launched 2025) represents a new revenue-generating product.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Abundance Apparel: An exclusive line of shirts, hoodies, and hats. 100% of proceeds support the mission to connect neighbors across 15 counties with nourishing food.

Products and services

• Mobile Pantry Program Large-scale food distribution events delivering pre-selected food packages directly to community locations across the 15-county service area, serving 50 to 600 families per event in 'farmer's market' or drive-thru formats.
• Member Distribution Network Network of 230+ nonprofit partner organizations including food pantries, soup kitchens, senior centers, and faith-based organizations that distribute food directly to neighbors in need across the 15-county region.
• SNAP Benefits Assistance Application assistance program helping eligible individuals and families enroll in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, including SNAP eligibility screening via mRelief and support submitting applications to Georgia DFCS for processing.
• Teaching Kitchen Programs Free cooking education classes at the Clayton branch Teaching Kitchen including kids camps, diabetes cooking series, heart-healthy cooking programs, and teen summer camps for Northeast Georgia community members.
• Commercial Kitchen Rental Certified commercial kitchen rental facility at the Clayton branch enabling food entrepreneurs and small producers to develop value-added products meeting food safety regulations without bearing the cost of their own facility.
• Clayton Farmers Market Weekly Saturday market (April through October) bringing local produce, eggs, honey, baked goods, and crafts to Northeast Georgia communities at the Mountain Branch in Clayton.
• Community Meeting Room Rentals Rental meeting spaces available at Athens ($200-$750) and Clayton ($300-$500) branches for planning sessions, board meetings, workshops, and trainings, with revenue supporting the Food Bank's mission.
• Volunteer Program Structured volunteer engagement program including warehouse sorting, food box packing, and distribution support; requires advance registration through Bloomerang Volunteer platform, minimum age 12, with evening shifts available.
• Abundance Apparel Merchandise Merchandise line featuring shirts, hoodies, and hats sold through the Bonfire e-commerce platform with 100% of proceeds supporting the Food Bank's mission to connect neighbors with nourishing food.

Quantifiable outcome

• 8.8 million pounds of food mobilized in 2025
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration6 records

Partnerships

24 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• Feeding AmericacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Food Bank of Northeast Georgia is affiliated with the Feeding America network, the largest food bank network in the United States. This partnership provides access to national food resources and shared best practices.
• Feeding GeorgiacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAffiliated with Feeding Georgia state association of food banks.
• WalmartmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate partner providing food donations and financial support.
• KrogermajorGTM or Marketing PartnerGrocery retailer partner providing food donations and community support.
• Bank of AmericamajorGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate partner providing financial grants and employee engagement.
• Johnson & Johnson Innovative MedicinemajorGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate partner providing financial support for community health and food access initiatives.
• Piedmont Athens RegionalmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHealthcare system partner supporting community health through food access programs.
• St. Mary's Health Care SystemmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHealthcare partner supporting community wellness through nutrition programs.
• SkanskamajorGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate partner providing construction expertise and financial support for facility projects.
• Dillard HouseminorGTM or Marketing PartnerLocal hospitality partner providing event support.
• Killer Crust Pizza Co.minorGTM or Marketing PartnerYear-long 'Pizza With A Purpose' campaign donating percentage of sales to support the food bank.
• Jackson Electric Membership CorporationminorGTM or Marketing PartnerElectric membership corporation partner providing community support.
• Heyward Allen ToyotaminorGTM or Marketing PartnerLocal automotive dealer partner providing vehicle and financial support.
• Armentrout Matheny and Thurmond EngineersminorGTM or Marketing PartnerEngineering firm partner providing professional services support.
• Kevin Price ConstructionminorGTM or Marketing PartnerConstruction partner supporting facility projects.
• Hodge Design & RemodelingminorGTM or Marketing PartnerDesign firm partner providing professional services.
• Intelligent Networks, Inc.minorGTM or Marketing PartnerTechnology partner providing IT support.
• Chastain & Associates InsuranceminorGTM or Marketing PartnerInsurance partner providing risk management support.
• Cable East, Inc.minorGTM or Marketing PartnerCable services partner providing community support.
• Athens Wellbeing ProjectmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborated on 2025 Neighbor Survey to understand food insecurity experiences in the community.
• Appalachian Trail CommunityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner for summer cooking camp combining outdoor education with food skills.
• Outdoor 76minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal outdoor retailer partner for cooking camp programs.
• Athens Can CollectiveminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCo-presenting Athens Goes Acoustic music festival benefiting the food bank.
• Sterling Real EstateminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCo-presenting Athens Goes Acoustic music festival benefiting the food bank.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves11 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Food Bank of Central & Eastern North Carolina: Multi-county regional Feeding America affiliate serving central and eastern North Carolina through a partner-agency and mobile pantry model. Closely comparable to the Food Bank of Northeast Georgia in scale, geographic spread, and program breadth.
• Capital Area Food Bank: Washington DC-area regional food bank operating distribution, nutrition education, and partner programs across a multi-county footprint. Directly comparable mission and scale structure.
• Second Harvest Food Bank of Metrolina: Charlotte-region regional food bank serving multiple North Carolina and South Carolina counties through a partner-agency distribution network and nutrition programs. Comparable regional U.S. food banking footprint and partner-network structure.
• Gleaners Community Food Bank: Regional food bank serving southeast Michigan with distribution, mobile pantry, and nutrition education programming. Similar scale and multi-program mission breadth to the Food Bank of Northeast Georgia.
• Atlanta Community Food Bank: Atlanta-based Feeding America affiliate serving metro Atlanta and North Georgia via a partner-agency distribution network and nutrition programs. The closest direct comparable to the Food Bank of Northeast Georgia given geographic overlap in Georgia and shared operational model.
• Middle Georgia Community Food Bank: Regional Georgia food bank operating distribution and partner programs across central Georgia counties. Highly comparable in scope, multi-county footprint, and operational structure to the Food Bank of Northeast Georgia.

Broad incumbents

• Feeding America: National hunger-relief organization operating the largest domestic food-bank network in the U.S. The Food Bank of Northeast Georgia is a member affiliate; comparable in core mission but operates at national scale rather than regional.
• Greater Chicago Food Depository: Chicago-area food bank and Feeding America affiliate; the Food Bank of Northeast Georgia's Chief Philanthropy Officer Kelly Klein previously held an institutional-relations role here. Comparable mission execution at a meaningfully larger urban scale; benchmarking reference for organizational capacity.
• Food Bank of New York City: Large urban hunger-relief organization serving New York City through distribution, mobile pantries, and nutrition education. Comparable mission and program mix but at materially larger scale; relevant as a broader incumbent peer.

Others

• Goodwill Industries International: Large national nonprofit operating workforce, community, and human-services programs. Comparable as an adjacent nonprofit-sector incumbent sharing the 501(c)(3) model, multi-program scope, and donor-funded operating structure, though operating in a different mission vertical.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/FoodBankofNortheastGeorgia
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-food-bank-of-northeast-georgia
• Instagraminstagram.com/foodbanknega
• Xx.com/foodbanknega

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds3 records

Investors2 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about The Food Bank of Northeast Georgia