Project Open Hand
Project Open Hand is a Bay Area 501(c)(3) nonprofit that produces and delivers medically-tailored meals, groceries, and nutrition services to sick, elderly, and low-income residents across San Francisco, Alameda, and Contra Costa counties, serving 16,000+ clients and over 1 million meals annually through two production hubs and a CalAIM Medi-Cal reimbursement model.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1985
- HeadquartersSan Francisco, United States
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Project Open Hand does
Project Open Hand is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1985 by Ruth Brinker that delivers medically-tailored meals, medically-tailored groceries, and congregate nutrition services to sick, elderly, and vulnerable residents across San Francisco, Alameda, and Contra Costa counties in the San Francisco Bay Area. The organization operates two production hubs — at 730 Polk Street in San Francisco and 1921 San Pablo Avenue in Oakland — supported by 10+ community pickup sites and mobile van distribution, producing more than 2,500 meals and 200+ grocery bags per day, totaling over 1 million meals annually for 16,000+ clients. Service design is led by an in-house clinical team of 8 Registered Dietiticians (grown from a single dietitian), with research collaborations at UCSF and Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital generating clinical outcomes evidence.
Core operational technology includes Computrition nutrition management software and Chef Robotics kitchen automation (deployed and featured in WIRED in May 2026). Revenue is generated through individual donations, corporate, foundation and government grants, government contracts (notably the San Francisco Department of Aging and Disability Services), and CalAIM Medi-Cal Community Supports contracts with four managed care plans. Notable confirmed grants include a $1.4M+ federal funding award in January 2023, $170K from Bayer (2021), and $100K from CVS (2020), supplemented by special event fundraising such as the Hand to Hand Gala. The organization is the first Bay Area group to achieve Food Is Medicine Coalition (FIMC) accreditation (November 2024), was named 2024 California Nonprofit of the Year, and administers the CalFIMC state coalition.
Project Open Hand firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Project Open Hand
- Legal name
- Project Open Hand
- Website
- https://openhand.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1985
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- Project Open Hand is a Bay Area 501(c)(3) nonprofit that produces and delivers medically-tailored meals, groceries, and nutrition services to sick, elderly, and low-income residents across San Francisco, Alameda, and Contra Costa counties, serving 16,000+ clients and over 1 million meals annually through two production hubs and a CalAIM Medi-Cal reimbursement model.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Project Open Hand industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Medically Tailored Meal Services
- NAICS
- Community Food Services (62421), Caterers (72232), Services for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities (624120)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Emergency Shelter, Camp Management & Non-Food Items (NFI) (BPAGAAAC)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Nutrition & Food Security (Global Health) NGOs (HLAJAKAH), Mother’s Helper + Meal Prep & Kitchen Support (HSAAAGAD)
Keywords
Where Project Open Hand is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- San Francisco
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
Project Open Hand business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Donations (Individual Giving): One-time gifts, monthly giving (Supper Club), planned/legacy giving, gifts of stock, car donations, IRA charitable rollovers, and donor-advised funds. Donation privacy policy covers personal information, payment processing, and list rental opt-out. EIN: 94-3023551.
- Corporate, Foundation & Government Grants: Grants and sponsorships from corporate donors and foundations. Notable: $1.4M federal funding (2023), $170,000 from Bayer Fund (2021), $100,000 from CVS Health via CalFIMC (2020). Sponsorship tiers for Hand to Hand Gala and other events. Many companies also provide matching gift and volunteer grant programs.
- Government Contracts & Reimbursements: Funded in part by the City and County of San Francisco Department of Disability and Aging Services (DAS) for Community Nutrition Program and AWD Home Delivered Meals. CalAIM Community Supports contracts with Medi-Cal health plans (Anthem Blue Cross, San Francisco Health Plan, Alameda Alliance for Health, Contra Costa Health Plan).
- Special Event Fundraising: Annual Hand to Hand Gala (Sept 18, 2026 at SF Design Center Galleria), REAF Help is on the Way XXXII benefit concert, SF Pride 2026 participation, Dining Out For Life, World AIDS Day Open House, Bruce Springsteen/DoorDash/Humphry Slocombe/Kendra Scott community promotions, and Young Professionals Council fundraisers.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | No client pricing; all meals/groceries provided free to eligible clients |
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Donor contribution options (one-time, monthly, planned, stock, vehicle, workplace giving) |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels7 records
Marketing channels8 records
Project Open Hand product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Project Open Hand is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that prepares and delivers nutritious meals and groceries free of charge to sick, elderly, low-income, and food-insecure residents of the San Francisco Bay Area. It operates a centralized production kitchen that produces 2,500+ medically tailored meals daily, two grocery centers, a mobile grocery van, a network of congregate meal sites, and home-delivered meal routes, with clinical oversight provided by Registered Dietitians.
Product overview
Project Open Hand (founded 1985) is a nonprofit, non-product service organization — not a unified software platform — that delivers a portfolio of interrelated nutrition-intervention programs to sick, elderly and food-insecure residents of San Francisco, Alameda and Contra Costa counties. Its core service lines are the Community Nutrition Program (CNP) for seniors and adults with disabilities, the Wellness Programs (medically-tailored meals and groceries for the critically ill) which includes the AWD Home Delivered Meals Program and the CalAIM Community Supports payer program, and two Grocery Centers (San Francisco and Oakland) plus a Mobile Grocery Van. Supporting capabilities include Registered Dietitian Medical Nutrition Therapy, a fleet of delivery vehicles (with an electric vehicle and rooftop solar as part of a published sustainability manifesto), and recently deployed Chef Robotics robotic arms for meal assembly at the 730 Polk Street kitchen. Auxiliary products include the trEATment Magazine, the MealTimes quarterly newsletter and monthly eNews, the blog/recipe content, the volunteer programs (individual, group, Young Professionals Council), annual fundraising events (Hand to Hand Gala, REAF, SF Pride), the CalFIMC coalition (fiscally housed at POH), and UCSF/ZSFG/FIMC research and accreditation partnerships. Together these programs form an integrated "Food is Medicine" service portfolio rather than a discrete SaaS product.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- CalFIMC (California Food is Medicine Coalition): California state affiliate of the Food Is Medicine Coalition, administered by Project Open Hand, advancing public policy for medically tailored food and nutrition services in California.
- trEATment Magazine
- MealTimes
Products and services
- Community Nutrition Program (CNP) Provides free warm breakfast and lunch to San Francisco residents aged 60+ and adults with disabilities aged 18-59 at 10-13 community sites across San Francisco. Includes social, educational, nutrition, bingo, arts and exercise activities. Operated in partnership with the SF Department of Disability and Aging Services (DAS).
- Wellness Programs (Medically Tailored Meals) Provides evidence-based, medically tailored meals to SF and Alameda County clients living with critical illness (HIV/AIDS, COPD, CHF, CAD, Type 2 Diabetes, ESRD, post-major surgery, cancer). Includes weekly pickup meals, home-delivered meals for homebound clients, fresh groceries, mobile groceries, and Registered Dietitian assessment, counseling and education. Clients are referred by licensed medical providers.
- Adults with Disabilities Home Delivered Meals (AWD HDM) Provides home-delivered nutritious meals to low-income San Francisco adults with disabilities (ages 18-59) who have no meal support and would otherwise be at risk. Includes a dedicated dining site at 730 Polk Street serving up to 50 clients/day. Funded by the SF Department of Disability and Aging Services.
- CalAIM Community Supports Program Provides medically tailored meals to eligible Medi-Cal members with qualifying chronic conditions (diabetes, cardiovascular disorders, CHF, stroke, chronic lung disorders, HIV, cancer, gestational diabetes) through contracts with Anthem Blue Cross (SF County), San Francisco Health Plan (SF County), Alameda Alliance for Health (Alameda County), and Contra Costa Health Plan (Contra Costa County).
- Mobile Grocery Van Service Mobile van service bringing fresh groceries and frozen meals to clients unable to travel to POH locations, with a rotating weekly schedule in the Mission, Excelsior, and Bayview neighborhoods of San Francisco.
- Individual & Group Volunteer Programs Weekly and drop-in volunteer opportunities engaging 125+ volunteers daily across kitchen meal prep/packout, grocery center operations, delivery driving, Community Nutrition Program meal-site service, and special events; includes individual shifts, group opportunities (up to 35 people), Cantonese-speaker roles, and special holiday opportunities.
- Donation & Giving Programs Multiple donor giving channels including one-time gifts, monthly giving (Supper Club), gifts of stock via Wells Fargo brokerage account, car donation via Car Donation Services Inc., planned/legacy giving, IRA charitable rollovers, donor-advised funds, workplace giving (matching gifts, Combined Federal Campaign, United Way), and community partner giving (Community Thrift Store, Cole Hardware, eBay Giving Works, Macy's eScrip, Sports Basement).
Quantifiable outcome
- 87% of clients rate meals/groceries as good, very good, or excellent
- +7 more outcomes
Companies that use Project Open Hand
Customer profileNamed customers8 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Project Open Hand technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration6 records
Feature5 records
Project Open Hand partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
26 partnerships are on record, tiered flagship honoree/peer organization, flagship - founding partner, flagship - administered by poh, flagship, notable technology partnership, flagship government partner, core health plan partner, annual event partner, flagship annual benefit event partner, recurring annual event partner, promotional partner, vehicle donation vendor, recurring community giving partner, industry membership, industry / advocacy partner, recurring annual venue partner and co-location service partner.
- World Central Kitchenflagship honoree/peer organizationRecipient of the Ruth Brinker Visionary Award at Project Open Hand's 32nd Annual Hand to Hand Gala, announced November 15, 2024 for the November 22, 2024 event. WCK is recognized as a peer organization in the food/nutrition services nonprofit space.
- Food Is Medicine Coalition (FIMC)flagship - founding partnerProject Open Hand is a proud founding partner of the Food Is Medicine Coalition (FIMC), a volunteer association of nonprofit, medically-tailored and nutrition services (FNS) providers from across the country. FIMC's purpose is to advance public policy supporting access to food and nutrition services for people with severe/chronic illnesses. Sister organizations include God's Love We Deliver (NYC), Community Servings (Boston), and Project Angel Heart (Denver). Project Open Hand became the first Bay Area organization to earn FIMC accreditation in November 2024.
- California Food Is Medicine Coalition (CalFIMC)flagship - administered by pohCalFIMC is the California state affiliate of FIMC, hosted/administered by Project Open Hand. Michelle Kupich, RDN, serves as Executive Director of CalFIMC and is a staff member of Project Open Hand. CalFIMC received a $100,000 grant from CVS Health (April 2020) for pandemic response and announced new director in August 2022.
- Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital (ZSFG)flagshipPartnered since January 2016 to create a fully integrated program of primary care, medically tailored and 100% nutritious meals, and related services among medically underserved adults of the Bay Area. Select SFGH patients with high volume of hospitalization and readmission rates due to chronic congestive heart failure are referred to Project Open Hand for grocery bags and study participation. The pioneering Food = Medicine Pilot Study targets the nation's $35 billion annual congestive heart failure healthcare cost.
- UC San Francisco (UCSF)flagshipScientific collaboration with UCSF physicians and researchers on Food as Medicine research. Joint study published in January 2017 in the peer-reviewed Journal of Urban Health involved 50+ SF and Alameda County residents with Diabetes, HIV/AIDS or dual diagnosis, demonstrating increased blood sugar control, decreased hospitalizations, weight loss, and improved medication adherence among HIV-positive clients.
- Chef Roboticsnotable technology partnershipDeployed robot arms at Project Open Hand's San Francisco Tenderloin facility to assist in assembling meals for food-insecure individuals. The robots can handle around 70 different scoopable ingredients but still occasionally make messes requiring human cleanup. Featured in WIRED, May 24, 2026; tech-forward experiment to attract more attention and volunteers from the city's tech community.
- City and County of San Francisco Department of Disability and Aging Services (DAS)flagship government partnerFunds and contracts Project Open Hand to administer the Community Nutrition Program and Adults with Disabilities Home Delivered Meal (AWD HDM) Program. SF DAS Hub screens eligibility for AWD HDM (415-355-6700). Also partnered on the Getting To Zero Initiative (2017) for mobile delivery in Mission and Bayview neighborhoods via Mission Neighborhood Health Center and Southeast Health Center co-location.
- Anthem Blue Cross (Medi-Cal)core health plan partnerMedi-Cal health plan partner for Project Open Hand's CalAIM Community Supports Program in San Francisco County. Referrals for medically tailored meals to address chronic disease among members. Press release announcement February 5, 2020.
- San Francisco Health Plancore health plan partnerMedi-Cal health plan partner for CalAIM Community Supports referral of eligible SF County members with chronic conditions including diabetes, cardiovascular disorders, CHF, stroke, chronic lung disorders, HIV, cancer, and chronic mental/behavioral health disorders.
- Alameda Alliance for Healthcore health plan partnerMedi-Cal health plan partner for CalAIM Community Supports in Alameda County. Referrals via Alameda Alliance for Health Referral Form submitted for Alameda County Wellness Program clients.
- Contra Costa Health Plancore health plan partnerMedi-Cal health plan partner for CalAIM Community Supports referrals in Contra Costa County (submitted via CCLink provider portal). Extends POH service reach into a third county.
- San Francisco Prideannual event partnerAnnual partnership going back to founding of Project Open Hand as an AIDS service provider. Project Open Hand walks a parade contingent down Market Street; supporters receive an exclusive Project Open Hand Pride T-shirt. 2026 event date: Sunday, June 28, 2026.
- The Richmond/Ermet AID Foundation (REAF)flagship annual benefit event partnerHosts the annual 'Help is on the Way' benefit concert and partners with Project Open Hand to raise funds for medically tailored meals. 2026 event: 'Help is on the Way XXXII: Broadway and Beyond' on Sunday, August 2, 2026 at Marines' Memorial Theater (609 Sutter St, SF); featuring Broadway Touring Cast of Beauty & The Beast, Alliana Yang, Leanne Borghesi, David Burnham, and Paula West. VIP after-party at Beacon Grand Hotel.
- Dining Out For Liferecurring annual event partnerAnnual fundraising event benefiting Project Open Hand; restaurants donate a portion of proceeds on the event day. Held annually (April 16, 2026; April 30, 2025; September 26, 2024 East Bay; September 28, 2023 East Bay).
- DoorDashpromotional partnerHosted a 'Give $10+, Get $5 Back With DoorDash' promotional fundraiser February 17 - March 29, 2024. Vishwa Chandra, VP of Enterprise Restaurant Partnerships at DoorDash, also serves on POH's Board of Directors.
- Car Donation Services, Inc. (CDS)vehicle donation vendorProcesses vehicle donations (cars, vans, trucks, RVs, boats, golf carts, planes) on behalf of Project Open Hand. Donors contact CDS at 1-888-686-4483 or 925-229-5444 and mention Project Open Hand; CDS picks up, sells, and remits proceeds to POH.
- Community Thrift Storerecurring community giving partnerLocated at 623 Valencia Street, San Francisco; donors can designate Project Open Hand (code 154) as beneficiary of sales proceeds from donated clothing and household goods.
- Cole Hardwarerecurring community giving partnerProject Open Hand receives a gift certificate worth 10% of designated purchases twice a year from Cole Hardware; donors designate POH (account 730). Cole Hardware stores in San Francisco at 956 Cole Street, 3312 Mission Street, and 70 4th Street.
- eBay Giving Works / MissionFishrecurring community giving partnereBay sellers can donate 10%-100% of item sale proceeds to Project Open Hand via MissionFish. eBay also donates insertion and final value fees when sellers select 100% donation.
- Macy's eScriprecurring community giving partnerMacy's cardholders register at escrip.com and designate Project Open Hand; POH receives up to 6% of purchase value as a donation.
- Sports Basementrecurring community giving partnerBasementeer Members can choose Project Open Hand as beneficiary in-store or by phone; 10% of Sports Basement's profits are allocated to beneficiary nonprofits annually based on customer spend.
- Meals on Wheels Americaindustry membershipProject Open Hand is a proud member of Meals on Wheels America, the national leadership organization supporting senior nutrition programs and the network of 5,000+ community-based meal programs across the country.
- California Association of Nonprofits (CalNonprofits)industry / advocacy partnerPartner organization for the California Nonprofit of the Year initiative. Through this program, each California state legislator recognizes a nonprofit organization doing outstanding work in their district, culminating in a celebratory luncheon at the Capitol on California Nonprofits Day (June 5).
- San Francisco Design Center Galleriarecurring annual venue partnerHost venue for Project Open Hand's annual Hand to Hand Gala. 2026 event held September 18, 2026, 6:30-10:30 PM.
- Mission Neighborhood Health Centerco-location service partnerCo-location site for Project Open Hand's Getting To Zero mobile delivery services in the Mission neighborhood (launched 2017 with SF Department of Public Health and Getting To Zero Coalition funding).
- Southeast Health Centerco-location service partnerCo-location site for Project Open Hand's Getting To Zero mobile delivery services in the Bayview neighborhood (launched 2017 with SF Department of Public Health and Getting To Zero Coalition funding).
Scale indicators12 records
Recent moves12 records
Expansion highlights7 records
Project Open Hand competitors and assessment
Company assessmentRegional players
- Ceres Community Project: Sonoma County, California-based nonprofit delivering medically-tailored meals to people facing serious illness, with a youth-volunteer-engaged kitchen model. Regional peer operating the same medically-tailored meal model in Northern California, with potential overlap in POH's referral geography.
- Alameda County Community Food Bank: Regional food bank serving Alameda County, including Oakland, where Project Open Hand operates its East Bay Grocery Center. Adjacent hunger-relief provider for the same population served by POH's Wellness Programs, though focused on broader food distribution rather than medically-tailored meals.
- Food Bank of Contra Costa and Solano: Regional food bank serving the Contra Costa County territory where Project Open Hand operates its CalAIM Community Supports program. Adjacent provider of food security services to overlapping low-income populations, though without POH's medically-tailored meal specialization.
Direct peers
- Moveable Feast: Baltimore-based nonprofit providing medically-tailored meals to individuals with chronic illnesses across Maryland. FIMC member organization offering the same home-delivered, dietitian-supervised meal model that Project Open Hand delivers in the Bay Area.
- Mama's Kitchen: San Diego-based nonprofit providing home-delivered medically-tailored meals to individuals at risk of malnutrition due to HIV/AIDS, cancer, heart disease, and type 2 diabetes. POH's VP of Fund Development, Alberto Cortés, previously served as CEO of Mama's Kitchen, evidencing direct programmatic and operational comparability.
- Project Angel Heart: Denver-based nonprofit delivering medically-tailored meals to individuals living with life-threatening illnesses in Colorado. FIMC sister organization with the same HIV/AIDS-originated mission and chronic-disease expansion that Project Open Hand embodies.
- Open Hand Atlanta: Atlanta-based nonprofit providing home-delivered meals and nutrition services to individuals with chronic illnesses including HIV/AIDS. Operates a centralized kitchen production model and is a FIMC member organization comparable to Project Open Hand's service portfolio.
- God's Love We Deliver: NYC-based nonprofit providing free medically-tailored meals to people living with HIV/AIDS, cancer, and other serious illnesses. Sister organization within the Food Is Medicine Coalition (FIMC) and a national benchmark for the medically-tailored meal model that Project Open Hand also operates.
- Community Servings: Boston-based nonprofit medically-tailored meal provider serving clients with critical and chronic illnesses across Massachusetts. FIMC founding member and direct programmatic peer in the Food Is Medicine space.
Broad incumbents
- Meals on Wheels America: National leadership organization supporting 5,000+ community-based senior nutrition programs including home-delivered meals. Project Open Hand is a member, and Meals on Wheels represents the broader incumbent category in senior nutrition that overlaps with POH's Community Nutrition Program and AWD HDM service lines.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat7 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Project Open Hand social profiles
Digital presenceProject Open Hand compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance5 records
Project Open Hand financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Project Open Hand leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles9 records
Project Open Hand funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds2 records
Investors1 record
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Project Open Hand 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 Project Open Hand
What does Project Open Hand do?
Project Open Hand is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that prepares and delivers nutritious meals and groceries free of charge to sick, elderly, low-income, and food-insecure residents of the San Francisco Bay Area. It operates a centralized production kitchen that produces 2,500+ medically tailored meals daily, two grocery centers, a mobile grocery van, a network of congregate meal sites, and home-delivered meal routes, with clinical oversight provided by Registered Dietitians.
Is Project Open Hand a public or private company?
Project Open Hand is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Project Open Hand founded?
Project Open Hand was founded in 1985. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is Project Open Hand based?
Project Open Hand is headquartered in San Francisco, United States, in the North America region.
How does Project Open Hand make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Donations (Individual Giving) is the primary driver. The others are corporate, Foundation & Government Grants, government Contracts & Reimbursements and special Event Fundraising.
Who are Project Open Hand's main competitors?
Regional players on record are Ceres Community Project, Alameda County Community Food Bank and Food Bank of Contra Costa and Solano. Direct peers are Moveable Feast, Mama's Kitchen, Project Angel Heart, Open Hand Atlanta, God's Love We Deliver and Community Servings. Meals on Wheels America is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does Project Open Hand have an API?
No public API is recorded for Project Open Hand.
What industry is Project Open Hand in?
Project Open Hand's product category is Medically Tailored Meal Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGAAAC, Emergency Shelter, Camp Management & Non-Food Items (NFI), with a secondary code of HLAJAKAH, Nutrition & Food Security (Global Health) NGOs. Its NAICS code is 62421.