What Every Meal does

Every Meal is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 2010 in Roseville, Minnesota, that operates the Weekend Meal Program — placing culturally-tailored bags of non-perishable food directly into the backpacks of Pre-K through 8th grade students experiencing food insecurity every Friday during the school year. Originally launched as The Sheridan Story by two congregations (Mill City Church and Woodridge Church) in response to cafeteria food hoarding at a Minneapolis elementary school, the organization incorporated independently in 2013 and rebranded to Every Meal in October 2020 to signal a statewide mission and distance from the school's namesake. The program now serves approximately 13,000 children weekly across ~375-400 partner schools in Minnesota, with a portfolio of five color-coded food bag SKUs (Blue/East African, Green/Wide Variety, Orange/Latino, Purple/Southeast Asian, Yellow/Ready-to-Eat) backed by 20 menu variants.

The operating model is logistics-first, designed by founder and President Rob Williams, whose prior Fortune 500 supply chain experience shaped a 96% bulk-procurement strategy from food banks, wholesalers, and manufacturers. Distribution is executed through a network of community sponsors (churches, businesses, faith organizations) and volunteers who pack food at the Roseville warehouse and discreetly place bags into student backpacks at partner schools — a method that requires no qualification paperwork or family contact information, designed to preserve dignity and avoid stigma. A secondary Weekend Meal Affiliate channel licenses the food bag inventory to schools that self-distribute and reimburse costs.

Revenue is generated almost entirely through community donations rather than government funding, with streams including Monthly Giving Circles ($5/month Meal Makers; $36/month Sustaining Givers), Leadership Giving Circles ($1,000+ annually funding 3-68 children per school year), corporate sponsorships (Cargill, Schulze Family Foundation), digital and physical food drives, stock/crypto/DAF contributions, and grants (notably a $300,000 Otto Bremer Trust award in 2022). Pricing on the Digital Food Drive is unit-based (e.g., Blue Bag $11.00; bulk cases at wholesale-equivalent pricing). The organization maintains Charity Navigator 4-star, Candid Platinum Seal, and Service Enterprise certifications, and was named Twin Cities Business Organization of the Year in 2025. Total headcount is ~20-25 staff across Development, Finance & Operations, Supply Chain, Program, and Volunteer functions, with no public revenue disclosure.

Name

Every Meal

Legal name

Every Meal

Website

https://everymeal.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2010

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Every Meal is a Minnesota-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit that discreetly places culturally-tailored weekend food bags into the backpacks of ~13,000 Pre-K through 8th grade students experiencing food insecurity weekly across ~400 partner schools, funded almost entirely through community donations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Child Hunger Relief Services

NAICS

Community Food Services (62421)

akta.pro primary industry

Child Nutrition & Meal Programs (CACFP/Snack Programs) (EDACAMAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

School Feeding & Social Protection Partnerships (Conditional Cash Transfers, etc.) (EDADALAL)

Keywords

• Child hunger relief
• Weekend meal program
• Food insecurity services
• School food assistance
• Nonprofit food distribution

Headquarters

HQ city

Roseville

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: Tax-deductible donations from individuals supporting child hunger relief. Monthly Giving Circle ($5/month minimum) and one-time gifts. Nearly 100% community-funded with minimal government support.
2. Corporate Sponsorship: Organizations sponsor schools by funding program costs and providing volunteer distribution support. Leadership Giving Circle ($1,000+ annually) recognizes major donors.
3. Digital Food Drive Sales: Online marketplace where donors can purchase food items (bags, canned goods, staples) at wholesale-equivalent prices. Items shipped to Every Meal warehouse for distribution.
4. Alternative Giving Vehicles: Stock transfers, cryptocurrency donations, Donor Advised Fund contributions, and planned giving options provide tax-advantaged giving opportunities for supporters.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Every Meal is a Minnesota-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit that fights child hunger by providing weekend food bags placed discreetly into the backpacks of Pre-K through 8th grade students at partner schools every Friday during the school year. It offers five culturally-tailored food bag types (Blue for East African, Green wide variety, Orange for Latino, Purple for Southeast Asian, Yellow ready-to-eat) totaling 20 distinct menus, with no qualification requirements for participating families. Supporting offerings include a Digital Food Drive, Monthly and Leadership Giving Circles, food packing volunteer events, and a Sponsor A School program.

Product overview

Every Meal is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that operates primarily as a Weekend Meal Program, providing weekend food bags directly to Pre-K through 8th grade students experiencing food insecurity in Minnesota. The organization offers five distinct tailored food bag products (Blue/Green/Orange/Purple/Yellow) to accommodate various cultural, dietary, and situational needs. Supporting programs include a Digital Food Drive for online donations, Physical Food Drive for drop-off donations, Monthly Giving Circle for recurring donors, and Leadership Giving Circle for major donors. Volunteer services include Food Packing Events and Food Distribution Volunteer Programs. The Weekend Meal Affiliate program allows schools to operate their own programs using Every Meal food bags. The organization is nearly 100% community-funded, serving children across approximately 375 schools in Minnesota.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Weekend Meal Program The primary program providing weekend food bags to Pre-K through 8th grade students experiencing food insecurity in Minnesota schools. Food bags are discreetly placed directly in students' backpacks every Friday during the school year. Free to all families with no qualification requirements.
• Weekend Meal Affiliate Partnership model where schools or other entities use Every Meal food bags but operate their own distribution programs. Every Meal handles food sourcing, inventory, and delivery while affiliates run their own programs and reimburse costs.
• Blue Bag (East African) Culturally-tailored food bag for East African dietary preferences, pork-free, containing items such as tuna, spaghetti, black-eyed peas, cornflour, and tomato products.
• Green Bag (Wide Variety) Food bag offering the widest variety of food items, such as chicken, tuna, pasta, rice, mac and cheese, soup, and varied vegetables and fruits.
• Orange Bag (Latino) Culturally-tailored food bag for Latino dietary preferences, containing items such as rice, black beans, pinto beans, corn flour, fideo pasta, enchilada sauce, chipotles in adobo, and diced tomatoes.
• Purple Bag (Southeast Asian) Culturally-tailored food bag for Southeast Asian dietary preferences, containing items such as rice, mung beans, coconut milk, bamboo shoots, curry paste, baby corn, and mandarin oranges.
• Yellow Bag (Ready-to-Eat) Food bag containing all ready-to-eat items requiring little or no preparation, such as dried fruit, chicken salad, sunflower seeds, granola, pasta cups, and soups.
• Digital Food Drive Online platform allowing donors to purchase non-perishable food items digitally. Purchases are made at bulk prices and items are shipped to Every Meal's warehouse for distribution to children.
• Monthly Giving Circle (Meal Maker) Recurring monthly donation program where donors contribute $5 or more per month, providing sustainable funding for consistent weekend food support for children.
• Leadership Giving Circle Annual giving program for donors contributing $1,000 or more per year, providing exclusive President's communications and event invitations. Impact levels fund weekend meals for 3 to 68 children per school year.
• Sponsor A School Program Partnership program where churches, companies, synagogues, mosques, clubs, and other organizations sponsor schools by funding the Weekend Meal Program and providing weekly food distribution volunteers.

Quantifiable outcome

• 97% of school staff indicated the Program helped form connections with families
• +6 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered founding, major, notable and core.

• Mill City ChurchfoundingStrategic or Co-development PartnerChurch congregation that, together with Woodridge Church, launched Every Meal (originally The Sheridan Story) in fall 2010 in response to discovered student food hoarding at Sheridan Elementary.
• Woodridge ChurchfoundingStrategic or Co-development PartnerChurch congregation that co-founded Every Meal in 2010 with Mill City Church to address child hunger at Sheridan Elementary.
• Cargill, Inc.majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMajor corporate partner mentioned among key partners helping address child hunger in Minnesota through community giving and support.
• Minnesota Timberwolves and LynxnotableGTM or Marketing PartnerSports team partnership announced January 2026 as part of community engagement initiatives supporting food security.
• Wings Credit UnionnotableGTM or Marketing PartnerCredit union partnered with Minnesota Timberwolves and Lynx in announcement supporting community initiatives including Every Meal.
• Minnesota TwinsnotableGTM or Marketing PartnerMLB team that participated in rare joint appearance with Orioles players for Every Meal cause in May 2025. Announced fourth annual organization-wide Week of Service.
• The Food GroupcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional food bank and hunger relief organization. Every Meal refers families to The Food Group's Find Help search tool and Food Helpline (1-888-711-1151) for additional food resources.
• 400 School PartnerscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNetwork of schools throughout Minnesota (urban, suburban, rural) partnering with community sponsors to provide Weekend Meal Programs for students.
• Community SponsorscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorLocal organizations (churches, businesses, faith communities) that sponsor schools by funding program costs and providing weekly volunteer distribution support.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Feeding America: Nationwide network of 200+ food banks and the largest US domestic hunger-relief organization. Competes for donor dollars and volunteer attention in the same end-market, but operates as a wholesale aggregator rather than direct-to-child backpack model.
• No Kid Hungry (Share Our Strength): National campaign of Share Our Strength focused on ending childhood hunger in the US through federal programs, grants to local organizations, and advocacy. Operates on a much larger scale and broader remit but directly overlaps in mission and beneficiary population.

Regional players

• Outreach Inc. Regional hunger-relief organization operating weekend backpack and school-based food programs in multiple US markets. Comparable weekend bag-for-kids concept with similar school partnership model, but distinct geographic focus.
• Hunger Free Vermont: Statewide organization working to end hunger in Vermont through advocacy, school meal programs, and direct food access initiatives. Comparable state-level child hunger focus and donor base dynamics, but primarily an advocacy and policy operator.
• MANNA FoodBank: Regional food bank serving Western North Carolina with distribution, child nutrition programs, and community partnerships. Comparable mission and operational scope, operating a different distribution model but addressing the same end beneficiaries.
• Food Bank of the Rockies: Regional food bank serving Colorado and Wyoming, distributing food through pantries, mobile pantries, and child-hunger programs. Comparable in mission and beneficiary mix but operates at significantly larger scale and with a wholesale distribution model.
• Greater Boston Food Bank: Largest hunger-relief organization in New England, distributing food through a partner agency network including child-nutrition programs. Comparable scale of impact and similar school and community partnerships, but operates a wholesale distribution model.

Direct peers

• The Food Group: Minnesota-focused hunger-relief nonprofit that Every Meal explicitly refers families to for additional food resources. Operates food banks, mobile distributions, and culturally-responsive programming in the same geography, making it a tightly overlapping peer and ecosystem partner.
• Kids' Food Basket: Michigan-based nonprofit that provides evening and weekend meal bags to children experiencing food insecurity through school and community partnerships. Operates a similar dignity-centered, bagged-meal distribution model and is comparable in scale and operating philosophy.
• Blessings in a Backpack: National 501(c)(3) that provides weekend food bags to food-insecure elementary schoolchildren through school-based backpack programs. Closest direct analog to Every Meal's core Weekend Meal Program, operating in many US states with a similar discreet backpack-distribution model.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/EveryMealOrg
• Facebookfacebook.com/EveryMealOrg
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/every-meal

Compliance6 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds2 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 Every Meal