Redwood Empire Food Bank

What Redwood Empire Food Bank does

Redwood Empire Food Bank is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit hunger-relief organization founded in 1987 and headquartered at 3990 Brickway Blvd., Santa Rosa, California. It operates as a regional food bank serving five Northern California counties — Sonoma, Lake, Mendocino, Humboldt, and Del Norte — through three strategic initiatives: Every Child, Every Day (child nutrition including school- and summer-based meal programs), Senior Security (serving 15,000 low-income seniors), and Neighborhood Hunger Network (community food and nutrition education). Additional programs include the Range to Table local livestock/protein donation program (founded 2012), Food Connections Market (client-choice pantry), CalFresh application assistance, and the W5 Project.

The organization runs a logistics and distribution platform comprising 300 monthly food distribution sites, supported by 130 local partner agencies that redistribute food through their own networks. Sourcing is multi-channel: 105 major food donors contribute grocery inventory, supplemented by grants, corporate sponsors, and individual monetary donations including cryptocurrency via The Giving Block. In 2025, Redwood Empire Food Bank distributed groceries valued at $75.6 million — equivalent to over 25.2 million meals — to 135,000 individuals, executed by 51–100 paid staff augmented by 7,400 volunteers (work equivalent to 60 full-time staff).

The business model is donation-driven and segment-diversified across individual giving (Full Plate Partner recurring program, planned giving), corporate sponsorships (Redwood Credit Union, Kaiser Permanente, Jackson Family Wines, Oliver's Market, Exchange Bank, Edward Jones, Community First Credit Union, Sonoma Clean Power), foundation grants, food-in-kind from major donors, and county government allocations (Sonoma County up to $1M and Lake County $60K in late 2025). The organization is governed by a community board and held to Candid Gold Transparency 2025 and Charity Navigator four-star standards; it is a member of Feeding America and Meals on Wheels America (designated 2026 Member). Food assistance is provided at no charge to recipients.

Name

Redwood Empire Food Bank

Legal name

Redwood Empire Food Bank

Website

https://refb.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1987

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Redwood Empire Food Bank is a 501(c)(3) hunger-relief nonprofit founded in 1987 in Santa Rosa, California, serving 135,000 children, families, and seniors annually across five Northern California counties through 300+ monthly distribution sites, 130 partner agencies, and 7,400 volunteers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Hunger Relief and Food Assistance Services

NAICS

Community Food Services (624210)

SIC

Retail-Food Stores (5400)

akta.pro primary industry

Food Assistance & Food Banks (BPAGAEAA)

Keywords

• Hunger relief services
• Food distribution programs
• Nonprofit charitable services
• Community nutrition support
• Food bank operations

Headquarters

HQ city

Santa Rosa

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Monetary Donations: Individual donors contribute money through one-time donations, recurring giving (Full Plate Partner program), and planned giving. Corporate giving programs allow businesses to sponsor programs or events.
2. Food Donations: Major food donors (105) contribute food products including produce, proteins, and shelf-stable goods. The Range to Table program accepts locally raised livestock donations from ranchers.
3. Grants and Foundation Support: Grantmakers and foundations provide programmatic funding to support hunger relief operations and specific initiatives.
4. Cryptocurrency Donations: Accepts cryptocurrency donations (Bitcoin, Ethereum, and 100+ other tokens) as a tax-efficient giving option.

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Redwood Empire Food Bank is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit hunger relief organization that sources, warehouses, and distributes food at no cost to individuals, families, and seniors facing food insecurity across five Northern California counties (Sonoma, Lake, Mendocino, Humboldt, and Del Norte). It operates 300 monthly distribution sites and partner agency channels, supported by 7,400 volunteers, 105 major food donors, and corporate and foundation sponsorships. The organization distributed food for 25.2 million meals and $75.6 million in grocery value in 2025, serving 135,000 people annually.

Product overview

Redwood Empire Food Bank operates as a multi-program hunger relief organization offering 11 innovative programs under three strategic initiatives: Every Child, Every Day (child nutrition programs including school and summer meal sites), Senior Security (serving 15,000 low-income seniors), and Neighborhood Hunger Network (community food and nutrition education). Additional programs include the Range to Table protein donation program, CalFresh application assistance, the Food Connections Market client-choice pantry, and the W5 Project. The organization distributes food across Sonoma, Lake, Mendocino, Humboldt, and Del Norte counties through direct-service distribution sites and over 130 local partner organizations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Range to Table: Program that provides locally raised, high-quality meat (beef, pork, poultry) to those facing hunger and food insecurity in Sonoma County, founded by rancher Cheryl LaFranchi in 2012.
• Every Child, Every Day
• Senior Security
• Neighborhood Hunger Network

Products and services

• Every Child, Every Day Strategic hunger relief initiative under Redwood Empire Food Bank that includes four robust programs addressing the nutritional needs of children, targeting both schools and seasonal meal gaps. Free to families and children facing food insecurity.
• Senior Security Program providing low-income seniors with healthy, fresh food and nutritional stability to support healthy, independent living. Serves 15,000 seniors across the five-county region. Free to eligible seniors.
• Neighborhood Hunger Network Community initiative striving to improve the health and well-being of community members through food and nutrition education. Free to community participants.
• Range to Table Program that provides locally raised, high-quality meat (beef, pork, poultry) to those facing hunger and food insecurity in Sonoma County. Partners with local ranchers, Sonoma County Farm Bureau, and USDA-approved processors. Free protein to food-insecure families.
• Summer Lunch Program Free summer meal program for children 18 and under running June through August, offering sit-down meals and grab-and-go options at sites across Sonoma County. Operated in partnership with school districts, libraries, and recreation facilities. Free to children.
• Food Connections Market Client-choice food pantry operating at the Distribution Center where participants select their own groceries based on availability and need. Supported by volunteers for restocking, sorting, and distribution. Free to participants.
• CalFresh Application Assistance Program helping individuals and families apply for CalFresh food assistance benefits (California's SNAP program). Participant support team provides application assistance and connects people to additional food resources. Free assistance service.
• W5 Project Program initiative under Redwood Empire Food Bank's programs and initiatives portfolio.

Quantifiable outcome

• Serves 135,000 people annually with food assistance
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Santa Rosa City SchoolscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 8 June 2026Partner preparing meals for the Summer Lunch program serving children across Santa Rosa.
• Healdsburg Unified School DistrictcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 8 June 2026Partner preparing meals for the Summer Lunch program serving children in Healdsburg area.
• Sonoma County LibrarycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 8 June 2026Hosting Summer Lunch program meal sites at library locations across the county.
• Santa Rosa Recreation and Parks Neighborhood ServicescoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 8 June 2026Hosting Summer Lunch program meal sites at recreation facilities.
• NovavineminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 12 December 2024Sonoma County nursery partnering to pilot greenhouse program growing produce for food bank distributions.
• Allison GoodwincoreOthers · 26 September 2024Appointed as President & CEO to lead the organization.
• Feeding AmericacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational food bank network membership providing access to national resources, best practices, and food sourcing support.
• Meals on Wheels AmericacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational Meals on Wheels network membership supporting senior nutrition programs; designated as 2026 Member.
• 2-1-1 Bay AreaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership connecting community members to food assistance resources and services through 2-1-1 referral system.
• AmericanAg CreditminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAgricultural lender sponsoring the Range to Table program that provides locally raised protein to families in need.
• Sonoma County Farm BureauminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSupporting the Range to Table program connecting local ranchers with food bank for protein donations.
• Sonoma County Meat CompanyminorOthersUSDA-approved butcher and processor partner for Range to Table livestock donation program.
• Buds Custom MeatsminorOthersUSDA-approved butcher and processor partner for Range to Table livestock donation program.
• JMF SlaughterminorOthersUSDA-approved slaughter facility for Range to Table livestock donation program.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Alameda County Community Food Bank: Bay Area regional food bank running a large-scale distribution operation with hundreds of partner agencies and direct distribution sites. Operates at a similar scale to Redwood Empire's $75.6M food value distributed.
• Los Angeles Regional Food Bank: One of the largest regional food banks in the U.S., operating a similar direct-distribution and partner-agency model. Comparable in operational model though meaningfully larger in scale.
• North Texas Food Bank: Large regional food bank operating direct distribution and partner-agency networks across multiple counties. Comparable scale and Feeding America membership positioning.
• San Diego Food Bank: California regional food bank distributing millions of meals annually through partner agencies and direct distribution. Directly comparable mission, model, and California regulatory environment.
• Food Bank of Contra Costa and Solano: Northern California food bank distributing food through partner agencies and direct distribution programs across two counties. Closely comparable mission, model, and geographic scale.
• Sacramento Food Bank & Family Services: Regional food bank serving Sacramento County and surrounding areas with comparable direct-distribution and partner-agency infrastructure. Operates similar nutrition education and family support programs.
• SF-Marin Food Bank: Adjacent Northern California food bank serving San Francisco and Marin counties with a similar direct-distribution and partner-agency model. Closest geographic and operational analog to Redwood Empire Food Bank's five-county model.
• Second Harvest Food Bank of Santa Clara & San Mateo Counties: Large Northern California food bank operating a direct-distribution, partner-agency, and CalFresh-style assistance model comparable to Redwood Empire. Similar mix of child, senior, and family programs.

Regional players

• Meals on Wheels America: National senior nutrition network of which Redwood Empire is a 2026 member. Operates a related but distinct home-delivered meal model rather than a direct competitor in food bank distribution.

Broad incumbents

• Feeding America: National umbrella network of which Redwood Empire is a member food bank. Provides shared food sourcing, logistics, and advocacy infrastructure that supports regional members like Redwood Empire.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/refb
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCysGlYfTIOIT6f9BHazij7Q
• Facebookfacebook.com/redwoodempirefoodbank
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-redwood-empire-food-bank
• Instagraminstagram.com/redwoodempirefoodbank

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles19 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 Redwood Empire Food Bank