Second Harvest Food Bank of Central Florida

What Second Harvest Food Bank of Central Florida does

Second Harvest Food Bank of Central Florida is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit hunger-relief organization headquartered in Orlando, Florida, founded in 1982 and operating as a member of the Feeding America network. It distributes food equivalent to 82 million meals annually across seven Central Florida counties (Brevard, Lake, Marion, Orange, Osceola, Seminole, and Volusia) through a network of over 870 feeding partner agencies, daily distributions of 300,000+ meals, mobile distributions, the Summer BreakSpot children's meal program, and disaster relief operations. The organization runs five owned facilities — a main distribution center on Mercy Drive in Orlando, the Mercy Kitchen meal-packaging facility, and regional branches in Daytona Beach (Volusia), Melbourne (Brevard), and Ocala (Marion).

The organization's product surface extends beyond food distribution into workforce development (Career Pathways program with culinary and customer-service tracks, 555 culinary graduates since 2013), benefits navigation (Benefits Connection/SNAP assistance), nutrition education, a Food is Medicine vertical partnering with the Florida Department of Health and hospital systems, and the Plate Above Catering social enterprise. Underlying technology consists of conventional SaaS tools (VolunteerHub for volunteer management, Double the Donation for matching gifts, Fillout for applications, StoreLocatorWidgets for the Food Finder locator, eBay for Charity) rather than proprietary platforms. Volunteer infrastructure is a major operational input, with 42,443 volunteers contributing 127,486 hours annually.

Revenue is generated through a diversified mix of individual donations (one-time and monthly Meal Maker $10/month recurring giving), corporate partnerships (Wawa, Disney, Sprouts, food industry donors), government grants (U.S. Department of Labor funds 34.87% of Career Pathways), planned giving through the Feeding Hope Society, virtual food drives, and earned income from Plate Above Catering. The organization reports a 95.9% program expense ratio. Board leadership is anchored by senior executives from Disney, Universal Creative, and private legal practice, signaling strong corporate-network access in Central Florida.

Name

Second Harvest Food Bank of Central Florida

Legal name

Second Harvest Food Bank of Central Florida

Website

https://feedhopenow.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1982

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Second Harvest Food Bank of Central Florida is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit hunger-relief organization that distributes 82 million meals annually across seven Central Florida counties through 870+ partner agencies, while running workforce training, SNAP assistance, and Food is Medicine programs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Nonprofit Hunger Relief & Food Distribution

NAICS

Community Food Services (62421), Food Service Contractors (72231), Other Food Manufacturing (3119)

SIC

Food And Kindred Products (2000), Wholesale-Groceries, General Line (5141)

akta.pro primary industry

Food Assistance & Food Banks (BPAGAEAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Food & Nutrition Assistance Programs (BPAIAKAF), Nutrition & Food Security (Global Health) NGOs (HLAJAKAH), Institutional Foodservice Distribution (Education, Healthcare, Government) (CRAOABAM)

Keywords

• Food bank services
• Hunger relief programs
• Food distribution logistics
• Workforce training
• Community nutrition assistance

Headquarters

HQ city

Orlando

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: One-time and recurring donations from individuals providing direct meal provision. $10 provides 40 meals. Monthly Meal Maker program offers sustained giving.
2. Corporate Partnerships: Financial contributions, matching gifts, event sponsorships, and product donations from corporate partners including food industry, retailers, and foundations.
3. Plate Above Catering: Social enterprise catering operation generating revenue while supporting workforce training for culinary program graduates.
4. Virtual Food Drives: Online fundraising tool allowing individuals and groups to create personalized fundraisers with funds going directly to hunger relief.
5. Planned Giving: Legacy donations through wills, estates, and donor-advised funds for long-term sustainability.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels8 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

Second Harvest Food Bank of Central Florida is a nonprofit hunger relief organization that collects, stores, and distributes food to individuals and families facing food insecurity across seven Central Florida counties. It operates a network of 870+ feeding partner agencies, distributing more than 300,000 meals daily and 82 million meals annually, and complements this with workforce training, SNAP assistance, nutrition education, summer meals for children, food-is-medicine programs, and disaster relief. The organization also runs a social-enterprise catering arm (Plate Above) that generates earned revenue to support its mission.

Product overview

Second Harvest Food Bank of Central Florida operates as a nonprofit hunger relief organization offering a portfolio of interconnected programs and services. The core offering includes food distribution through a network of over 870 feeding partners across seven Central Florida counties, complemented by direct-service programs. Key programs include the Food Finder locator tool, SNAP/Benefits Connection assistance, Career Pathways workforce training (culinary and customer service tracks), Nutrition Classes, Summer BreakSpot meals for children, Food is Medicine initiatives, and Disaster Relief services. The organization also operates Plate Above Catering as a social enterprise that generates donations while providing catering services, and offers event spaces at its Orlando facility. Giving programs include Virtual Food Drives, Feeding Hope Society planned giving, and a Young Professionals Committee for community engagement.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Plate Above Catering: Full-service catering social enterprise from Second Harvest Food Bank featuring award-winning chefs. Also operates on-site event spaces at the main facility including Atrium, Bank of America Board Room, and Community Room.
• Career Pathways
• Food Finder
• Benefits Connection Program
• Health and Hunger Task Force of Central Florida

Products and services

• Food Distribution Core distribution service supplying food to over 870 feeding partners including pantries, soup kitchens, shelters, and senior centers; provides millions of meals annually through warehouse operations and mobile distributions.
• Career Pathways Enhanced workforce training program offering two career tracks: a 10-week culinary training track and a 5-week customer service training track. Provides job readiness coaching, skills training, employer connections, and one year of alumni support to prepare adults facing employment barriers for sustainable careers.
• Benefits Connection Program (SNAP Assistance) Free one-on-one assistance program helping neighbors apply for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits; trained specialists guide applicants through the entire process including interviews and document submission across six counties.
• Nutrition Classes Free nutrition education workshops and cooking demonstrations teaching meal planning, budget cooking, food label reading, and chronic disease prevention. Offered to SNAP-eligible residents across seven counties in partnership with Florida Nutrition Ed.
• Summer BreakSpot Summer meals program preparing, packaging, and distributing nutritious meals and snacks free of charge to children and teens ages 18 and under. Operates through community centers, summer camps, and rural distribution sites during school break.
• Plate Above Catering Full-service catering social enterprise featuring award-winning chefs, providing customized menus for events from boxed lunches to elaborate dinners. Proceeds support Second Harvest's hunger relief mission and generate meals for families when customers order catering.
• On-site Event Spaces Venue rental at Second Harvest's main Orlando facility including Atrium, Bank of America Board Room, and Community Room. Bookable for weddings, corporate events, and gatherings up to 150 guests with catering by Plate Above.
• Kids Programs Childhood nutrition programs providing healthy food and meals essential to growth, learning, and well-being. Includes school-based distributions and summer meal programs serving children and teens.
• Disaster Relief Emergency food response and recovery services for neighbors impacted by hurricanes, floods, fires, tornadoes, and other crises. Activated during disasters to provide immediate relief plus long-term recovery support.
• Food is Medicine Health-focused initiative including prescription produce boxes, Mobile Farmers Market, nutrition therapy, medically tailored groceries, and medically tailored meals. Connects food insecurity with healthcare through partnerships with local hospital systems, free clinics, and federally funded health centers.
• Virtual Food Drive Online fundraising tool allowing supporters to create personalized fundraisers for birthdays, weddings, graduations, and other occasions. Enables supporters to rally friends and family to provide meals digitally without physical food collection.

Quantifiable outcome

• 82 million meals provided annually to families facing hunger
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration9 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Sprouts Farmers MarketcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 4 March 2026Community partnership with Second Harvest for food rescue donations at new Clermont, Florida store opening. Sprouts donates surplus food to fight hunger.
• Health and Hunger Task Force of Central FloridacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2016Coalition of local healthcare providers and nutrition-focused organizations that identify opportunities to measurably impact health using Food is Medicine strategies. Convened by Second Harvest since 2016.
• Feeding AmericacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProud member of Feeding America - the nationwide network of food banks working together to fight hunger and build stronger communities. Provides access to national resources, best practices, and disaster relief support.
• Florida Nutrition EducationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTeam of nutrition educators lead engaging workshops and cooking demonstrations across Central Florida to inspire neighbors to make healthy eating changes. Classes taught for SNAP-eligible residents.
• Florida Department of HealthcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for Mobile Farmers Market - food is medicine strategy providing prescription produce boxes weekly to patients at health clinics.
• Walt Disney CompanycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPerry Crawley, Director of Disney Programs and Experiences, serves as Chair of Second Harvest's Board of Directors. Disney employs culinary training graduates.
• Summer BreakSpot ProgramcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFlorida state program providing free meals to children 18 and under during summer months. Second Harvest prepares and distributes meals at community sites.
• Hospital Systems and Healthcare ProviderscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnerships with hospital systems, free and charitable clinics, federally funded health centers, and local medical practices to encourage food insecurity screening and referral.
• Local Employer PartnerscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCareer Pathways program connects graduates with local employers for job placement in hospitality and customer service industries.
• United WaycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for 2-1-1 helpline connecting individuals to food assistance and other resources during evenings and weekends.
• Food Industry PartnerscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGrocery stores, retailers, distributors, and farms donate surplus food that would otherwise go to waste, enabling food rescue operations.

Scale indicators14 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Feeding Tampa Bay: Another Feeding America-affiliated Florida food bank serving the Tampa Bay region with food distribution, partner agency network, and direct service programs. Direct peer due to overlapping mission, model, and Feeding Florida membership.
• Capital Area Food Bank: Large Feeding America food bank serving the Washington DC metro area. Direct peer operating at similar scale with comparable partner agency network, workforce training, and nutrition education programs.
• Feeding South Florida: Feeding America member food bank serving Broward, Miami-Dade, Palm Beach, and Monroe counties. Comparable in scale and program breadth, including food distribution, workforce development, and SNAP assistance.
• Harry Chapin Food Bank of Southwest Florida: Feeding America-affiliated food bank in Fort Myers serving multiple Southwest Florida counties. Direct peer with similar partner-agency model, distribution operations, and hunger-relief programs.
• Gleaners Food Bank of Indiana: Feeding America member food bank operating multiple branches, partner network, and direct-service programs including culinary training. Direct peer in mission, scale, and program portfolio.

Others

• No Kid Hungry (Share Our Strength): National anti-hunger nonprofit focused on child nutrition including summer meals and school breakfast programs. Adjacent peer with overlapping summer feeding programs (Second Harvest participates in Summer BreakSpot) and policy advocacy.

Broad incumbents

• Feeding Florida: Statewide association of Florida food banks coordinating policy, advocacy, and shared resources. Industry trade body that Second Harvest belongs to, providing peer benchmarking and state-level funding access.
• Feeding America: The national network of 200+ food banks of which Second Harvest is a member. Broad incumbent that provides national infrastructure, food sourcing, advocacy, and disaster response that benefits all member food banks.

Emerging players

• Food Is Medicine Coalition: Coalition of organizations providing medically tailored meals and nutrition interventions that Second Harvest is a member of. Emerging-area peer focused specifically on the healthcare-nutrition intersection that aligns with Second Harvest's Food is Medicine initiatives.

Regional players

• Meals on Wheels of Central Florida: Regional food assistance organization in the same Central Florida geography focused on home-delivered meals to seniors. Regional peer addressing overlapping hunger-relief mission through a different delivery model (home delivery vs. partner distribution).

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/feedhopenow
• Facebookfacebook.com/FeedHopeNow

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Subsidiaries5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds3 records

Investors3 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 Second Harvest Food Bank of Central Florida