Connecticut Foodshare

What Connecticut Foodshare does

Connecticut Foodshare is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 1982 and headquartered in Wallingford, Connecticut. Designated as the official Feeding America food bank for the entire state of Connecticut, it distributes nutritious food through a network of 600+ partner food pantries, meal programs, and mobile distribution sites, and serves 516,640 food-insecure residents (1 in 7) including 122,000 children (1 in 6). In FY25 the organization delivered 47 million meals through its partner agencies (38M+), 110+ mobile food pantry sites serving an average of 27,390 households monthly (5M+), and SNAP application assistance that helped 2,645 households access 2.4M meals.

The organization operates from an 85,000-square-foot Wallingford headquarters housing a central warehouse and distribution hub, two hydroponic freight farms providing the equivalent of 5 acres of growing capacity, and offices. Core technology includes the Primarius-based Network Hub online ordering system used by 600+ agency partners, a Data & Impact department that publishes the Connecticut Food Security Data Catalog on Airtable, and an interactive mobile food pantry locator integrated with a text-based outreach system (FOODSHARE/COMIDA to 85511). The facility achieved a 990 out of 1000 score on an independent AIB GMP audit in April 2025.

Revenue is generated through a diversified mix of individual donations (including a Sustainer Society monthly giving program), corporate and foundation grants (KeyBank Foundation, Hartford Foundation for Public Giving, Neag Foundation, RTX, The Hartford, Bank of America, Pfizer Foundation, Travelers, among others), state and federal government funding (TEFAP, SNAP, CSFP, CT-NAP), in-kind food donations from 400+ food industry donors providing 63% of donated food, signature events such as the Walk Against Hunger and Taste of SoNo, and specialty fundraising including the Pizza License Plate program. Over the last three fiscal years Connecticut Foodshare has raised more than $62 million in private support and employs roughly 120 staff supported by 6,300+ volunteers contributing 46,000+ hours annually.

Name

Connecticut Foodshare

Legal name

Connecticut Foodshare

Website

https://ctfoodshare.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1982

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Connecticut Foodshare is the official Feeding America food bank for Connecticut, distributing nutritious food through 600+ partner agencies and 110+ mobile pantries to 516,640 food-insecure residents statewide, funded by donations, grants, and government programs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Food Bank Services

NAICS

Community Food Services (62421)

SIC

Wholesale-Groceries, General Line (5141)

akta.pro primary industry

Food Assistance & Food Banks (BPAGAEAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Food & Nutrition Assistance Programs (BPAIAKAF)

Keywords

• Food bank services
• Hunger relief programs
• Food distribution network
• Mobile food pantry
• SNAP application assistance

Headquarters

HQ city

Wallingford

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: Connecticut Foodshare accepts one-time, monthly (Sustainer Society - 394 new members welcomed in FY25), tribute, and legacy donations from individuals via online, mail, stock, IRA charitable distributions, cryptocurrency, and Donor-Advised Funds.
2. Corporate & Foundation Grants: Strategic grants and contributions from corporate partners, private foundations, and grantmaking organizations including major gifts from KeyBank Foundation, Hartford Foundation for Public Giving, The Neag Foundation, RTX, The Hartford, Bank of America, Pfizer Foundation, Travelers, and many others. Raised over $62 million in private support over the last three fiscal years.
3. Government Funding: Government funding including a landmark $9 million appropriation for the Connecticut Nutrition Assistance Program (CT-NAP) in the 2026-2027 Biennium Budget and $17 million in FY27 to purchase food for distribution to partners statewide. Federal nutrition programs (TEFAP, SNAP, CSFP) support food supply.
4. In-Kind Food Donations: Donated food from 400+ food industry donors including grocery retailers, distributors, manufacturers, and farms. Food donors provided 63% of donated food last year. Includes retail rescue and virtual food drives.
5. Signature Events: Fundraising revenue from signature events such as the annual Walk Against Hunger (raised over $200,000 for agency partners in May 2024), Empty Bowls luncheon, Taste of SoNo, and planned giving events.
6. Specialty Fundraising (Pizza License Plate): Specialty state license plate fundraising program (The Pizza State Special Interest License Plate) generating $65 standard / $134 vanity plate fees supporting Connecticut Foodshare.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion4 records

Distribution channels7 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Connecticut Foodshare is the official Feeding America food bank for the entire state of Connecticut. It sources, warehouses, and distributes donated and purchased food through a hub-and-spoke network of 600+ partner agencies and 110+ mobile food pantry sites, while operating bilingual SNAP application assistance, the federal CSFP senior food box program, a Retail Rescue surplus food recovery program, and two on-site hydroponic farms. Its operations are funded by individual donations, corporate and foundation grants, government appropriations, in-kind food industry donations, and signature fundraising events.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Mobile Food Pantry Program Statewide mobile food pantry distribution serving over 110 sites and an average of 27,390 households monthly, providing 5M+ meals annually via an interactive online locator and a texting tool (FOODSHARE/COMIDA to 85511) for food-insecure Connecticut residents.
• SNAP Application Assistance Bilingual (English/Spanish) application assistance helping Connecticut residents apply for or renew federal SNAP benefits via phone (860-856-HELP) and online form, completing applications in about 30 minutes. Helped 2,645 households apply in FY25 (a 24% increase year-over-year), providing access to 2.4 million meals.
• Agency Partner Network A statewide network of 600+ food pantries, meal programs, and mobile distribution sites that receive food from Connecticut Foodshare and distribute to neighbors, including 493 agency partners delivering 38M+ meals and a Join The Network onboarding program for new partners.
• CSFP Senior Food Box Program Federal Commodity Supplemental Food Program (CSFP) providing monthly food packages for seniors through 60+ distribution sites, delivering 835,150 senior meals monthly to Connecticut residents aged 60 and older on fixed incomes.
• Retail Rescue Program Program partnering with grocery stores, retailers, distributors, and manufacturers to rescue surplus food. Onboarded new retail rescue donors leading to 13.8 million pounds of retail food donations in FY24-25, with agency partners picking up food directly from retail donors.
• Hydroponic Farms Two shipping-container hydroponic freight farms located at the Wallingford headquarters providing the equivalent of 5 acres of growing space; produce is packed by volunteers and distributed to mobile food pantries and through an online inventory to agency partners (90,000+ servings produced since 2023).
• Community Impact Grants Grant program for food pantries and community meal programs to increase capacity; inaugural $1.5M was distributed in March 2023, with over $3M invested across three years to strengthen partner operations and improve the food assistance experience.
• Neighbor Council Multi-month advocacy and leadership training program for neighbors experiencing food insecurity; centers lived expertise in food bank operations, provides public policy training, and elevates voices to raise public awareness of food insecurity (second cohort graduated in 2025 with members ages 28-80 from nine Connecticut communities).
• TEFAP Resources The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP) resources provided to network partners, including training, compliance support, and food distribution guidance.
• Connecticut Food Security Data Catalog Public catalog (hosted on Airtable) of publicly available datasets related to food security in Connecticut and nationally, providing a central point of access for anyone utilizing data to better understand food security and related issues.
• Virtual Food Drive Online tool allowing individuals and organizations to set up virtual food drives to collect funds for Connecticut Foodshare; customizable with goals, timelines, and logos and hosted on the donate.ctfoodshare.org platform.
• Government Relations & Advocacy Policy advocacy at state and federal levels, including engagement with the full Connecticut delegation in Washington D.C. on TEFAP, SNAP, and CSFP, and successful advocacy that secured $9M in CT-NAP funding in the 2026-2027 biennium budget.

Quantifiable outcome

• 47 million meals provided annually (FY25)
• +8 more outcomes

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered annual recurring event partner, flagship - core network membership, high - research and survey partner, mid - program capacity partner, mid - government relations advisor, recurring matching-gift sponsor, specialty fundraising partner, major - top retail donor and partner, major - corporate donor, major - top food donor, major - top food donor and corporate donor and high - legislative advocacy partner.

• Goodwin Universityannual recurring event partnerGTM or Marketing Partner · 12 November 2025Goodwin University in East Hartford, Connecticut, hosts its annual Thanksgiving for All turkey drive on November 12, 2025, in cooperation with Connecticut Foodshare, aiming to collect 100 turkeys and $1,000 in donations.
• Feeding Americaflagship - core network membershipStrategic or Co-development PartnerConnecticut Foodshare is a member of the Feeding America nationwide network of food banks. As the official Feeding America food bank serving the entire state of Connecticut, it benefits from national resources, data (e.g., Map the Meal Gap), branding, and advocacy coordination. The CEO completes his third and final year as Chair of Feeding America's Policy Engagement and Advocacy Committee (PEAC).
• UConn (University of Connecticut)high - research and survey partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerConnecticut Foodshare completed a survey of more than 500 neighbors across 17 food pantries in partnership with UConn to deepen understanding of food insecurity. Adjunct faculty appointments for CEO at UConn School of Public Policy. Partnered with UConn basketball star Paige Bueckers for Husky Harvest food pantries at all UConn campuses (September 2023).
• AmeriCorps VISTAmid - program capacity partnerImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerThrough the AmeriCorps VISTA program, Connecticut Foodshare strengthens organizational and partner capacity by advancing tools, best practices, and systems. VISTA members developed a personalized training program for agency partners, expanded Mobile Pantry capacity through bilingual volunteer training resources, and delivered fundraising workshops. Connecticut Foodshare is a priority sponsor of this program.
• Penn Lincoln Strategiesmid - government relations advisorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerGovernment Relations firm engaged by Connecticut Foodshare. Founder & CEO Chris VanDeHoef, Principal Liam Sweeney, and Associate Natalie Diaz joined Chief of Staff Jennie Hirsch in the Advocacy Tools and Tips Webinar to discuss advocacy objectives, tools, and tips.
• Community Snacks (and Peeled Snacks)recurring matching-gift sponsorGTM or Marketing PartnerCommunity Snacks and its sister brand Peeled Snacks are matching gifts up to $25,000 to Connecticut Foodshare for a 'Double your impact for dads like Daniel!' campaign. Listed among Corporate & Foundation Donors.
• Connecticut Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV)specialty fundraising partnerGTM or Marketing PartnerState partnership for The Pizza State Special Interest License Plate — Connecticut Foodshare processes applications and payments and submits them to the DMV for issuance of the charity license plate.
• Stop & Shop, Inc. (New England Division)major - top retail donor and partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerListed as a major food donor and Corporate & Foundation Donor (Stop & Shop, New England Division and Wakefern Food Corporation). Donated food through food industry donor program supporting the agency's mission.
• Wakefern Food Corporationmajor - corporate donorStrategic or Co-development PartnerListed among Connecticut Foodshare's Corporate & Foundation Donors. Parent cooperative of ShopRite and other supermarket banners supporting the food bank's mission.
• Walmartmajor - top food donorStrategic or Co-development PartnerListed as a major food donor in the Annual Report 2024-2025 Nourishing Our Neighbors food donor list.
• Costco Wholesale Corporationmajor - top food donor and corporate donorStrategic or Co-development PartnerListed as both a food donor (Costco Wholesale) and a Corporate & Foundation Donor (Costco Wholesale Corporation) supporting Connecticut Foodshare's mission.
• Connecticut General Assemblyhigh - legislative advocacy partnerOthersGovernment Relations advocacy partner. Connecticut Foodshare engages with the full Connecticut delegation in Washington, D.C., and state legislators on TEFAP, SNAP, CSFP, and CT-NAP. 2026 legislative session convenes February 4, 2026 and adjourns May 6, 2026. Secured $9M in CT-NAP funding in the 2026-2027 Biennium Budget.

Scale indicators15 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Greater Boston Food Bank: The largest Feeding America food bank in New England, distributing tens of millions of meals annually through a similar hub-and-spoke agency partner and mobile pantry model. Directly comparable as a regional food bank with overlapping geographic and operational scale.
• Food Bank of Western Massachusetts: Regional Feeding America food bank serving western Massachusetts with a comparable agency partner network and mobile distribution model. Highly relevant peer given similar state-level scope, donor base, and program mix including SNAP outreach.
• Rhode Island Food Bank: Statewide Feeding America food bank for Rhode Island with a comparable agency partner network and mobile pantry footprint. Directly comparable scale and mission structure to Connecticut Foodshare.
• Vermont Foodbank: Statewide Feeding America food bank distributing food through a partner network across Vermont, including mobile distribution and SNAP outreach. Closely comparable as a small-state regional food bank with similar program mix.
• New Hampshire Food Bank: Feeding America regional food bank serving New Hampshire with a partner pantry network, mobile distribution, and SNAP outreach programs. Direct peer operating in a similarly sized New England state.
• Food Bank for New York City: One of the largest Feeding America food banks in the country, serving New York City through a partner pantry network. Directly comparable business model at larger urban scale with similar programmatic emphasis on mobile distribution and SNAP enrollment.
• Philabundance: Feeding America regional food bank serving the greater Philadelphia area through partner agencies and direct distribution programs. Comparable as a mid-to-large regional food bank with similar programmatic mix and donor base.

Broad incumbents

• Feeding America: The national umbrella network of 200+ food banks of which Connecticut Foodshare is a member. Relevant as the broader incumbent that provides shared infrastructure (Map the Meal Gap data, national advocacy, branding) and competitive context for funding.

Regional players

• Foodshare (Hartford region): Separate regional food bank serving Hartford and Tolland counties in Connecticut. Adjacent geographic peer operating in the same state with overlapping donor and volunteer bases; relevant as a same-state peer (note: distinct entity from Connecticut Foodshare).

Others

• Meals on Wheels America: National nonprofit network providing home-delivered meals to seniors. Tangentially related through food access for vulnerable populations and federal nutrition program advocacy, but operates a different delivery model (home delivery vs. pantry distribution).

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/ctfoodshare
• Facebookfacebook.com/CTFoodshare

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds5 records

Investors5 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 Connecticut Foodshare