A Red Circle
A Red Circle is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2017 that operates food sovereignty, education, and arts programs serving residents of five zip codes in North St. Louis County. It runs a community-owned grocery store, urban farms, an arts facility, and education advocacy across five school districts, funded primarily by grants and donations.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2017
- HeadquartersSt Louis, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What A Red Circle does
A Red Circle is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in March 2017 by Erica Williams in St. Louis, Missouri, dedicated to addressing racial equity concerns in North St. Louis County. The organization operates a holistic community development model built around three verticals: food sovereignty, education, and arts. It serves residents in five North County zip codes (63120, 63121, 63135, 63136, 63137) and reports serving 5,177 neighbors in 2025.
The organization's core 'products' are physical community spaces and programming rather than technology goods. These include the North County Agricultural Education Center (an urban farming and STEM education facility in Pine Lawn), the Healthy Flavor Community Garden (Riverview, with a monthly free farmers market), the North County Community Nexus (a Bellefontaine Neighbors hub combining a community-owned grocery store, commercial kitchen, bistro counter, and the Damu Smith Liberation Garden), and The Creative Spot (a Ferguson-based community arts facility). Programming spans the SAFE (Student Advocates for Education) and PACE (Parent Cafe Coalition for Education) initiatives across five school districts, the People's Harvest Pop-Up Shop markets, Good Food Fridays, God's Bounty, Chef's Pantry, annual Kwanzaa celebrations, and a summer literacy program launched in 2024.
The business model is grant-and-donation funded rather than revenue-generating in the conventional sense. Named institutional funders include HUD ($3M grant in 2024), the St. Louis County Port Authority ($200K in July 2024), Missouri Foundation for Health, Deaconess Foundation, and Washington University in St. Louis. Individual donations flow through a website portal, and corporate sponsors support specific events. Programs are delivered free or at minimal cost. The organization employs 11–50 staff including five directors and a founder/ED, with day-to-day operations coordinated across at least eight physical locations.
A Red Circle firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- A Red Circle
- Legal name
- A Red Circle
- Website
- https://aredcircle.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2017
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- A Red Circle is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2017 that operates food sovereignty, education, and arts programs serving residents of five zip codes in North St. Louis County. It runs a community-owned grocery store, urban farms, an arts facility, and education advocacy across five school districts, funded primarily by grants and donations.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
A Red Circle industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Community Development Nonprofit Services
- NAICS
- Community Food Services (624210), Civic and Social Organizations (8134)
- SIC
- Services-Social Services (8300)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Community Centers & Neighborhood Support Services (BPAGAEAL)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Community Center Education Programs (EDAAAFAB), Cultural Centers & Community Cultural Organizations (BPAGAHAD), District Student Services Administration (Special Ed, Counseling, Health) (EDADABAJ)
Keywords
Where A Red Circle is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- St Louis
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices8 records
Markets served
A Red Circle business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Donations and Individual Contributions: The organization accepts single and monthly donations from individuals through its website donation portal, supporting ongoing programs and community initiatives.
- Government Grants: A Red Circle receives government funding including a $200,000 grant from the St. Louis County Port Authority for the Nexus project, supporting community development and revitalization initiatives.
- Foundation and Corporate Grants: The organization receives funding from foundations including Missouri Foundation for Health, Deaconess Foundation, and has received HUD grants for various programs.
- Sponsorships: Corporate and organizational sponsors support specific events and programs, such as the Art in the Garden event seeking student sponsors.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels5 records
A Red Circle product offering
Product offeringCore offering
A Red Circle operates community-based nonprofit programming across three pillars — food sovereignty, education, and arts — for residents of North St. Louis County. The organization runs multiple physical assets (an agricultural education center, community garden, community-owned grocery store with commercial kitchen, and an arts facility) and delivers recurring programs including farmers markets, food distributions, urban farming and food preservation classes, school advocacy and tutoring, parent engagement sessions, and cultural events such as Kwanzaa. All services are provided free or at minimal cost, funded through donations, foundation grants, corporate sponsorships, and government grants.
Product overview
A Red Circle is a nonprofit organization offering a portfolio of community programs focused on food sovereignty, education, and arts. The organization operates multiple physical spaces including the North County Agricultural Education Center, Healthy Flavor Community Garden, North County Community Nexus (featuring a community-owned grocery store, commercial kitchen, and bistro), and The Creative Spot arts facility. Additional offerings include the People's Harvest Pop-Up Shop farmers market, education advocacy programs (SAFE, PACE, Education Advocacy Coalition), community wellness initiatives (Healthy Community Market, God's Bounty, Chef's Pantry, Good Food Fridays), summer literacy programs, and annual events like Kwanzaa celebrations. The organization serves North St. Louis County zip codes 63120, 63121, 63135, 63136, and 63137.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- North County Agricultural Education Center: Collaborative growing space in Pine Lawn, Missouri for growing food, teaching STEM behind food growing, and food justice education.
- Healthy Flavor Community Garden
- North County Community Nexus
- The Creative Spot
- People's Harvest Pop-Up
Products and services
- North County Agricultural Education Center Collaborative urban farming and agricultural education space in Pine Lawn, Missouri, hosting skill shares for urban farmers, food preservation classes for community members, community farmhouse activities, and field trips for youth and volunteers; operated as a free community program.
- Healthy Flavor Community Garden Community garden and monthly free farmers market hosted in partnership with Zion Traveler MBC's food pantry, complemented by health and wellness resources delivered by BJC HealthCare and Outreach Rx; open to community members at no cost.
- North County Community Nexus Community development project featuring a community-owned grocery store, commercial kitchen, in-house bistro counter, and the Damu Smith Liberation Garden for garden classes and demonstrations; designed as a community hub addressing food insecurity and economic revitalization.
- The Creative Spot Community arts facility in Ferguson, Missouri providing Black empowerment through art and creativity, supporting local artists and recurring arts programming, including staging for the annual Kwanzaa Celebration.
- People's Harvest Pop-Up Shop Weekly Saturday pop-up market and monthly 1st Saturday expanded market offering locally sourced meats, cheeses, farm-fresh produce, live music, art, kids' activities, and health and wellness goods to North County residents; free entry.
- Student Advocates for Education (SAFE) School advocacy and academic support program providing tutoring, mentoring, and connection to educational resources for K-12 students in North County, aimed at reducing suspension rates for Black students through holistic engagement with students, families, and institutions.
- Parent Cafe Coalition for Education (PACE) Recurring monthly sessions providing safe spaces for parents and caregivers to share challenges, strategies, and successes while connecting to community resources and protective factors.
- Healthy Community Market Affordable farmers market and natural product vendor space providing healthy food access to North County residents, including health and wellness resources from partner organizations.
- God's Bounty Community food access program that brings healthy food and garden instruction into North County churches, targeting food-insecure congregation and neighborhood members.
- Chef's Pantry Partnership program with North County restaurants providing food access resources to community members in need.
- Good Food Fridays Weekly programming at the North County Agricultural Education Center running May through October, providing food access and community wellness activities to North County residents.
- Summer Literacy Program Summer literacy program supporting educational outcomes for North County youth during summer months; launched in 2024 as part of A Red Circle's education pillar expansion.
- Kwanzaa Celebration Annual Kwanzaa Celebration featuring live arts, soul food, a business fair, and a stage production, hosted at St. Stephen's and The Vine Episcopal Church and supporting The Creative Spot arts programming.
- Back to School with Books Annual back-to-school event at Barack Obama Elementary School providing books and literacy resources to North County students, helping around 300 children prepare for the school year.
Quantifiable outcome
- 5,177 neighbors served in 2025
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use A Red Circle
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
A Red Circle technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
A Red Circle partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Zion Traveler MBCcorePartnership with Zion Traveler's food pantry for the monthly free farmer's market at the Healthy Flavor Community Garden, providing food access to community members.
- BJC HealthCareminorBJC provides health and wellness resources and programming at the Healthy Flavor Community Garden and Healthy Community Market locations.
- Outreach RxminorProvides health and wellness resources and programming in partnership with A Red Circle's community wellness initiatives.
- Maryville UniversityminorPartnered with A Red Circle to provide over $4,000 worth of books to students at Barack Obama Elementary School.
- EyeSeeMe BookstoreminorAfrican-American children's bookstore in University City partnered for Back to School with Books event, selling books with proceeds supporting literacy programs.
- St. Stephen's and The Vine Episcopal ChurchminorVenue partner for Kwanzaa celebrations and community events, providing space for vendor fairs and cultural programming.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
A Red Circle competitors and assessment
Company assessmentEmerging players
- Soul Fire Farm: Black-led farm and food justice organization focused on ending racism in the food system through urban agriculture, youth programming, and farmer training. Comparable to A Red Circle's urban farm, food justice education, and racial equity framing.
Direct peers
- Operation Food Search: St. Louis-based food bank and anti-hunger nonprofit distributing food across the region. Directly comparable to A Red Circle's food sovereignty, food distribution, and farmers market programming in the same metro area.
- Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis: St. Louis civil rights and social services nonprofit working on economic empowerment, education, and health equity for African American communities. Closely comparable mission focus to A Red Circle's racial equity and community development work.
- The Food Trust: Philadelphia-based national nonprofit working on food access, nutrition education, and food justice. Comparable as a peer organization operating food sovereignty programs combined with policy and community engagement.
- Grace Hill: St. Louis community development and family services nonprofit delivering housing, health, and education programs to North St. Louis neighborhoods. Directly overlaps with A Red Circle's geographic service area and integrated human services model.
Broad incumbents
- Bread for the World: National faith-based advocacy organization focused on ending hunger through policy change and grantmaking. Comparable advocacy orientation to A Red Circle's food sovereignty work, though operating at federal policy level rather than direct service.
- YMCA of Greater St. Louis: Established regional nonprofit operating youth development, wellness, and community programs across multiple sites in the St. Louis region. Comparable operating model of community facility-based programming with education and wellness offerings.
- United Way of Greater St. Louis: Large regional umbrella nonprofit funding and convening community services across the St. Louis region, including education and basic needs. Comparable as a community resource convener operating in the same metro and intersecting with A Red Circle's service areas.
- Catholic Charities of St. Louis: Established multi-service social services nonprofit serving basic needs, housing, and community programs in the St. Louis region. Comparable scale and service breadth and a likely collaborator/competitor for foundation and government funding.
Regional players
- Big Brothers Big Sisters of Eastern Missouri: St. Louis youth mentoring and education nonprofit operating in the same metro and comparable geographic footprint. Overlaps with A Red Circle's SAFE mentoring, tutoring, and education advocacy programs for North County youth.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
A Red Circle social profiles
Digital presenceA Red Circle financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
A Red Circle leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles7 records
A Red Circle funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds1 record
Investors1 record
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
A Red Circle 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 A Red Circle
What does A Red Circle do?
A Red Circle operates community-based nonprofit programming across three pillars — food sovereignty, education, and arts — for residents of North St. Louis County. The organization runs multiple physical assets (an agricultural education center, community garden, community-owned grocery store with commercial kitchen, and an arts facility) and delivers recurring programs including farmers markets, food distributions, urban farming and food preservation classes, school advocacy and tutoring, parent engagement sessions, and cultural events such as Kwanzaa. All services are provided free or at minimal cost, funded through donations, foundation grants, corporate sponsorships, and government grants.
Is A Red Circle a public or private company?
A Red Circle is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was A Red Circle founded?
A Red Circle was founded in 2017. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is A Red Circle based?
A Red Circle is headquartered in St Louis, United States, in the North America region.
How does A Red Circle make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Donations and Individual Contributions are the primary driver. The others are government Grants, foundation and Corporate Grants and sponsorships.
Who are A Red Circle's main competitors?
Soul Fire Farm is listed as an emerging player. Direct peers are Operation Food Search, Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis, The Food Trust and Grace Hill. Broad incumbents are Bread for the World, YMCA of Greater St. Louis, United Way of Greater St. Louis and Catholic Charities of St. Louis. Big Brothers Big Sisters of Eastern Missouri is listed as a regional player.
Does A Red Circle have an API?
No public API is recorded for A Red Circle.
What industry is A Red Circle in?
A Red Circle's product category is Community Development Nonprofit Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGAEAL, Community Centers & Neighborhood Support Services, with a secondary code of EDAAAFAB, Community Center Education Programs. Its NAICS code is 624210 and its SIC code is 8300.