What Long Island Cares does

Long Island Cares, Inc. (DBA: Long Island Cares | The Harry Chapin Food Bank) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit regional food bank founded in 1980 by singer-songwriter and humanitarian Harry Chapin, headquartered in Hauppauge, New York, with seven directly-operated food pantries and service centers across Nassau and Suffolk Counties (Freeport, Lindenhurst, Huntington Station, Bethpage, Hampton Bays, Valley Stream). As a partner food bank of Feeding America, the organization distributes over 13.3 million pounds of food and supplies annually to nearly 400 community partner agencies and serves 313,800 food-insecure Long Island residents, including 71,500 children.

The organization's program portfolio spans multiple channels and beneficiary segments: First Stop Food Pantries provide fixed-site food assistance; mobile channels (Farm to Truck, Mobile Food Assistance Units, Mobile Pantry for homebound delivery, Aspara'Gus' Breakfast Food Truck) extend reach into underserved areas; targeted programs address seniors (Supporting Our Seniors/SOS), veterans (Veterans Project with VetsWork job training), children (Kids' Cafe, Pack It Up for Kids, Summer Food Service Program), pets (Baxter's Pet Pantry), and the homeless (Hope for the Homeless); the Chapin Center for Public Policy drives advocacy; and the Emergency Response and Recovery program supports disaster relief.

Funding is diversified across individual donations, corporate partnerships (Bank of America, NBTY, Petco, PetSmart, Target, Walmart, Walt Disney Company), foundation grants, government contracts, food drives, and special events tied to the Harry Chapin legacy. Underlying technology is described as cloud-based volunteer management and coordination systems supporting a 5,000+ volunteer base and 11-50 paid staff. Revenue is not publicly disclosed; the organization is independently governed by a Board of Directors with no parent company or institutional investor backing.

Name

Long Island Cares

Legal name

Long Island Cares, Inc.

Website

https://licares.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1980

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Long Island Cares is a nonprofit regional food bank founded in 1980 by Harry Chapin, distributing over 13 million pounds of food annually through 7 pantries and 400+ partner agencies to food-insecure residents of Nassau and Suffolk Counties on Long Island.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Food Bank and Hunger Relief Services

NAICS

Community Food Services (62421), Community Food and Housing, and Emergency and Other Relief Services (6242)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Meals, Nutrition & Congregate Dining Day Programs (HSABANAM)

Keywords

• Food bank services
• Hunger relief programs
• Mobile food distribution
• Community food pantries
• Pet food assistance

Headquarters

HQ city

Hauppauge

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices7 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Supply Chain, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: Direct donations from individuals supporting the food bank's mission
2. Corporate Partnerships: Sponsorships and donations from corporate partners including Bank of America, NBTY, and various pet food companies
3. Foundation Grants: Funding from foundations including NY Food for NY Families for specific programs
4. Government Contracts: Government-funded programs and contracts supporting food distribution operations
5. Food Drives: Community food drives contributing to food inventory
6. Special Events: Fundraising events including those honoring the Harry Chapin legacy

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Long Island Cares is a nonprofit regional food bank that collects, warehouses, and distributes food and household supplies through 7 operated pantries, a 320+ member agency network, mobile outreach vehicles, and homebound delivery across Nassau and Suffolk Counties. Programs target food-insecure individuals and families, children, seniors, veterans, the homeless, and pet owners through specialized initiatives including First Stop Food Pantries, Farm to Truck, Mobile Food Assistance Units, Baxter's Pet Pantry, Supporting Our Seniors, the Veterans Project, and Kids' Cafe.

Product overview

Long Island Cares operates as a unified nonprofit hunger-relief platform offering multiple interconnected programs rather than a traditional software product. The core offering centers on food distribution through First Stop Food Pantries, supplemented by mobile outreach programs including Farm to Truck, Mobile Food Assistance Unit, and Mobile Pantry for homebound individuals. Specialized programs address specific populations: Baxter's Pet Pantry for pet owners, Supporting Our Seniors (SOS) for older adults, Veterans Project for military personnel, and comprehensive Kids programs including Aspara'Gus' Breakfast Food Truck, Kids' Cafe, Mobile School Pantry, Pack It Up for Kids, and Summer Food Service Program. The Chapin Center for Public Policy provides advocacy and policy engagement. Emergency Response and Recovery and Hope for the Homeless address crisis situations. A Food Locator Tool enables community members to find nearby food resources. The organization serves as a partner food bank of Feeding America with over 320 member agencies.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Baxter's Pet Pantry: Pet food pantry program that provides pet food and supplies to families facing food insecurity to ensure pets remain with their families.
• Aspara'Gus' Breakfast Food Truck
• Supporting Our Seniors (SOS)
• Farm to Truck
• Chapin Center for Public Policy

Products and services

• First Stop Food Pantries Long Island Cares-operated food pantries located across Nassau and Suffolk Counties that distribute fresh produce, protein, grains, and essential items at no cost to individuals and families facing food insecurity.
• Farm to Truck An insulated box truck program that delivers fresh, locally sourced produce directly to Long Island communities, providing a self-select produce experience with portions based on family size. Funded by Bank of America and NY Food for NY Families.
• Mobile Food Assistance Unit (MFAU) Custom-converted vans that travel throughout Nassau and Suffolk Counties providing information, referral assistance, and emergency food directly to communities where residents need it.
• Baxter's Pet Pantry Pet food pantry providing food and supplies for dogs, cats, birds, hamsters, and other pets to ensure families facing food insecurity do not have to surrender their pets. Located at 161 North Wellwood Avenue, Lindenhurst.
• Supporting Our Seniors (SOS) Monthly emergency food deliveries to senior community centers across Long Island through the SOS Mobile Pantry, offering nutritious, senior-friendly groceries along with compassionate support to older adults.
• Veterans Project Comprehensive veteran support including food assistance, job training through the VetsWork program, Military Appreciation Tuesdays at First Stop Food Pantries, and personalized referral services for veterans on Long Island.
• Chapin Center for Public Policy Advocacy arm of Long Island Cares focused on long-term public policy solutions addressing root causes of hunger at local, state, and federal levels, including legislative action, education campaigns, and SNAP/ABAWD policy work.
• Aspara'Gus' Breakfast Food Truck Mobile food truck providing nutritious breakfast options including cold cereals, fresh or shelf-stable low-fat milk, and juices to food-insecure children and families throughout Nassau and Suffolk Counties.
• Kids' Cafe After-school food and mentoring program providing free nutritious meals, safe environments for homework completion, nutrition education, and recreational activities for children in need. Launched in 2000 in partnership with Feeding America as Long Island's first Kids' Cafe.
• Pack It Up for Kids Weekend meal program distributing backpacks filled with six weekend meals and two snacks to children who rely on free or reduced-price school meals, containing juice, fruits, vegetables, shelf-stable milk, tuna, soups, and microwaveable items.
• Summer Food Service Program Program providing nutritious breakfast and lunch during summer months at camps and open sites to ensure low-income children continue receiving meals when school is not in session.
• Emergency Response and Recovery Disaster relief program providing nonperishable foods, pet food, bottled beverages, personal care products, plastic/paper goods, and household cleaning supplies during storms, natural disasters, fires, or flooding.
• Hope for the Homeless Mobile program sponsored by NBTY that provides housing information, housing referrals, ready-to-eat emergency food, and personal hygiene items directly to homeless individuals where they live.
• Mobile Pantry Home delivery service delivering nonperishable food, personal care products, household supplies, and pet food to homebound individuals including seniors, disabled veterans, and persons with medical conditions. Delivered biweekly with eligibility assessment.
• Food Locator Tool Online search tool allowing users to find the nearest food pantry or soup kitchen by entering their ZIP code, covering both Long Island Cares-operated pantries and member agency locations across Nassau and Suffolk Counties.

Quantifiable outcome

• Distributes over 13 million pounds of food annually to 313,800 food-insecure residents

Named customers3 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Feeding AmericacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong Island Cares is a member food bank of the Feeding America network, the nation's largest domestic hunger-relief organization. This partnership provides access to national food supply chains and resources.
• NBTYcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate sponsor for the Hope for the Homeless program, supporting food assistance efforts.
• PETCOminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPet food donor supporting the pet food assistance program.
• Pet Supplies PlusminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPet food donor for pet assistance program.
• TargetminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPet food donations supporting the pet food bank program.
• VCA Animal HospitalsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPet food donations supporting the pet food assistance initiative.
• PetSmartminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPet food donations supporting pet owners facing food insecurity.
• WhyHungercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-founded by Harry Chapin, WhyHunger is the organization Long Island Cares was created alongside. Maintains ongoing connection to the humanitarian legacy and shared mission.
• Chapin ProductionsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerRelated to Harry Chapin legacy, involved in preserving and promoting the humanitarian mission.
• High Mountain Breezes MusicminorGTM or Marketing PartnerMusic partner for Cats in the Cradle tribute events supporting fundraising.
• WalmartminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPet food donations supporting community pet assistance programs.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Foodshare: Connecticut's regional food bank and Feeding America partner serving Hartford and Tolland counties with food distribution, mobile pantries, and direct-to-household programs. Closely comparable regional food bank structure and program mix to Long Island Cares.
• Maryland Food Bank: Feeding America partner food bank serving the state of Maryland with food distribution, member agency network, and direct-service programs including mobile pantries and school-based nutrition initiatives. Comparable regional food bank with similar program breadth.
• Capital Area Food Bank: Feeding America partner food bank serving the Washington DC metropolitan area with food distribution, nutrition education, and direct-service programs. Comparable regional food bank structure with similar mix of agency partnerships and direct client programs.
• Philabundance: Feeding America partner food bank serving the Greater Philadelphia area with food distribution through member agencies and direct-service programs for seniors, children, and immigrants. Comparable nonprofit food bank operating model and scale of throughput.
• City Harvest: New York City's largest food rescue organization and a Feeding America partner food bank operating mobile markets, pantries, and nutrition education. Comparable in mission, partner network structure, and reliance on Feeding America affiliation, though operating in a denser urban geography.
• Regional Food Bank of Northeastern New York: Feeding America partner food bank serving 23 counties in northeastern New York with food distribution through member agencies and direct programs. Comparable regional food bank operating model, though serving a more rural mix of counties.
• Food Bank For New York City: Major Feeding America partner food bank serving the five boroughs of NYC with food distribution, member agency network, and programs for children, seniors, and veterans. Closely comparable programmatic portfolio to LIC, with substantially larger throughput.
• Island Harvest: Long Island's second major regional food bank, also serving Nassau and Suffolk Counties with similar food distribution, member agency network, and direct-service programs including mobile pantries. Directly comparable mission, geography, and operating model.

Broad incumbents

• Feeding America: National network of 200+ partner food banks including Long Island Cares. Comparable as the umbrella organization providing food sourcing, logistics, and advocacy infrastructure that regional food banks like LIC plug into. Not a direct competitor but the dominant industry-wide platform.

Others

• WhyHunger: National nonprofit focused on hunger advocacy and grassroots organizing, co-founded alongside Long Island Cares by Harry Chapin. Comparable as a fellow Harry Chapin legacy organization and partner in hunger-relief ecosystem, though focused on advocacy rather than direct food distribution.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/licgovtaffairs?lang=en
• Facebookfacebook.com/LongIslandCares
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/long-island-cares-inc
• Instagraminstagram.com/licares

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 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 Long Island Cares