Commission on Economic Opportunity

What Commission on Economic Opportunity does

Commission on Economic Opportunity (CEO) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1965 and headquartered in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania. The organization delivers a comprehensive suite of community social services across four counties in Northeast Pennsylvania (Lackawanna, Luzerne, Susquehanna, and Wyoming), with select programs extending to 15 counties for veterans and five counties for parent education. Service lines include the Weinberg Northeast Regional Food Bank (16.4 million pounds distributed annually to 356+ partner agencies from a 55,220 sq ft facility in Pittston), housing and energy assistance (HUD-approved counseling, weatherization, utility hardship programs with UGI and PPL), employment services (Center for Employment Opportunities, Parent Pathways), SNAP outreach, SSVF veteran homelessness services, the McGowan Memorial Scholarship program, and the ServSafe food safety course.

Operationally, CEO functions as a multi-program direct service provider rather than a technology company. Programs are delivered through four offices (Wilkes-Barre, Hazleton, Tunkhannock, Kingston), the McGowan Center for Healthy Living warehouse, school-based produce markets (29 partner locations reaching 4,000+ families monthly), and senior food box distribution at 94 locations. The organization employs 251-500 staff and coordinates an extensive ecosystem of partner agencies, county and municipal governments, utilities, and charitable foundations.

The business model is grant-and-donation-funded: revenue is sourced from federal grants (VA, HUD, DOE), state programs (PA DCED, PHFA), utility hardship programs (UGI, PPL, Dollar Energy), foundation donors (Weinberg Foundation, McGowan Charitable Trust, American Water Charitable Foundation), corporate gifts, and individual donations via the website and virtual food drive platform. All services to eligible clients are provided free of charge; there is no commercial pricing model.

Name

Commission on Economic Opportunity

Legal name

Commission on Economic Opportunity

Website

https://ceopeoplehelpingpeople.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1965

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Commission on Economic Opportunity is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1965 in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, delivering food assistance, housing and energy services, veteran support, employment training, and SNAP outreach across Northeast Pennsylvania through its Weinberg Food Bank and a 356+ partner agency network.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Social Services (Nonprofit)

NAICS

Community Food Services (624210), Vocational Rehabilitation Services (6243), Educational Services (611), Civic and Social Organizations (813410)

SIC

Services-Employment Agencies (7361), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Food Assistance & Food Banks (BPAGAEAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Employment & Job Readiness Support Services (BPAGAEAJ), Workforce Development & Inclusive Employment (Job Training, Placement) (BPAGALAB), Food & Nutrition Assistance Programs (BPAIAKAF)

Keywords

• Social services
• Food bank assistance
• Housing counseling
• Veteran support
• Community outreach

Headquarters

HQ city

Wilkes Barre

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Individual and Corporate Donations: Tax-deductible donations from individuals, businesses, and organizations. CEO is a 501(c)(3) organization.
2. Government Grants and Funding: Funding from federal programs including Department of Veterans Affairs (SSVF), Department of Energy (Weatherization), PA Department of Community & Economic Development, and other government sources.
3. Food Industry Donations: Donations of food products from manufacturers, distributors, retailers, and growers for distribution through the food bank network.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Commission on Economic Opportunity is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that delivers free community-based social services in Northeast Pennsylvania, including food distribution through the Weinberg Northeast Regional Food Bank, housing counseling and homeless prevention, utility and weatherization assistance, employment training, SNAP outreach, and veteran family re-housing. Services are funded by donations, government grants, and in-kind food contributions and are delivered directly at offices and through a network of partner agencies.

Product overview

Commission on Economic Opportunity is a non-profit organization providing community social services in Northeast Pennsylvania. The organization operates as a multi-program service provider rather than a technology product company. Its core offerings include the Weinberg Northeast Regional Food Bank (housed in the McGowan Center for Healthy Living), housing and energy assistance, employment services, veterans support programs (SSVF), SNAP outreach, youth scholarships, and weatherization services. The food bank serves four counties through a network of partner agencies and distributes millions of pounds of food annually. Programs are funded through federal, state, and local government sources, charitable foundations, and individual donations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Weinberg Northeast Regional Food Bank Regional food bank that distributes food to 356+ partner organizations (food pantries, shelters, soup kitchens, group homes, day care centers, children's camps, and senior programs) across four counties in Northeast Pennsylvania, distributing 16.4 million pounds of food annually.
• McGowan Center for Healthy Living 55,220 sq ft distribution and storage facility housing the Weinberg Food Bank, providing freezer, refrigerated, and dry storage capable of receiving, storing, and distributing about three times previous food volumes.
• Homeless Prevention and Re-housing Services Case management services for homeless or at-risk individuals providing supportive services to achieve self-sufficiency, including emergency housing referrals; CEO serves as lead agency for the Luzerne County Continuum of Care Process.
• Mortgage Foreclosure Counseling Program HUD-approved housing counseling working with the Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency, HUD, and Luzerne County Court to assist homeowners at risk of foreclosure through face-to-face interviews and action plans.
• Weatherization Assistance Program Program to reduce energy costs for low-income families through energy-efficient home improvements including insulation, air sealing, weather stripping, and heating plant modifications; funded through PA Department of Community & Economic Development, DOE, and LIHEAP.
• Utility and Heating Assistance Hardship programs connecting utility customers with assistance including UGI's Customer Assistance Program (CAP), UGI Operation Share, PPL OnTrack, PPL Operation Help, and Dollar Energy to prevent utility termination.
• Center for Employment Opportunities Job training and employment services for Luzerne County residents including skills enhancement, GED assistance, job readiness training, resume help, interview preparation, and job placement.
• SNAP (Food Stamp) Program Outreach Outreach and application assistance helping eligible low-income individuals and families apply for SNAP food assistance benefits through EBT cards, in cooperation with the Department of Public Welfare.
• Supportive Services for Veteran Families (SSVF) Case management and supportive services for low-income veterans and their families, prioritizing rapid re-housing for homeless veteran households across 15 counties of Northeast Pennsylvania; funded by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.
• Senior Food Program (Commodity Supplemental Food Program) Monthly distribution of nutritious USDA commodity foods to low-income individuals aged 60 and over at senior housing sites, senior centers, and neighborhood centers across four counties, serving more than 1,800 seniors at 94 locations.
• Parent Pathways of NEPA Program helping parents struggling to make ends meet through education, career development, and financial assistance, serving Luzerne, Lackawanna, Wyoming, Susquehanna, and Wayne Counties at income eligibility up to 250% of federal poverty guidelines.
• Monsignor Andrew J. McGowan Memorial Scholarship Annual college tuition assistance for academically talented, economically disadvantaged students from Luzerne and Wyoming Counties, with over 200 recipients since 1984.
• ServSafe Managers Course Semi-annual food safety certification course required for facilities and individuals that prepare food on-site, including self-study materials, a one-day review course, and the certification exam.
• Hunger 101 Poverty Simulation Interactive poverty simulation program that helps individuals understand life with shortage of money and food through family-role exercises, conducted at the McGowan Center for Healthy Living.
• Children's Produce Market Fresh-produce distribution program operating through 29 partner school and childcare locations, reaching more than 4,000 families each month with fresh food.

Quantifiable outcome

• 16.4 million pounds of food distributed annually to more than 356 partner organizations
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.

• UGI Utilities / UGI Penn Natural Gas / UGI Central Penn GascoreOthersPartners for utility assistance programs including UGI's Customer Assistance Program (CAP) and UGI Operation Share providing energy assistance grants.
• PPL Electric UtilitiescoreOthersPartners for PPL OnTrack Program (reduced monthly payments based on income) and PPL Operation Help (emergency financial aid).
• Feeding AmericacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe nation's largest charitable hunger-relief organization. CEO/Weinberg Food Bank is a member of the Feeding America network.
• United WaymajorGTM or Marketing PartnerCommunity partner for utility and heating assistance programs serving Northeast Pennsylvania residents.
• 356+ Partner AgenciescoreOthersNetwork of food pantries, homeless shelters, soup kitchens, group homes, day care centers, children's camps, and senior programs receiving food distributions.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• The Salvation Army: National multi-program poverty-relief organization operating food pantries, housing, utility, and emergency assistance programs. Comparable in program mix, though broader geographically and faith-affiliated.
• Feeding America: National hunger-relief network of 200+ member food banks; the Weinberg Northeast Regional Food Bank is an explicit member. Comparable because it operates the same food-bank distribution model at national scale.
• Catholic Charities USA: National federation of Catholic Charities agencies providing multi-program anti-poverty services (food, housing, employment, refugee, veterans). Directly comparable to CEO's integrated social-services model at national scale.

Direct peers

• Community Action Partnership: National network of Community Action Agencies delivering anti-poverty programs (LIHEAP, weatherization, Head Start, employment) — the same federal funding streams CEO accesses. Strong mission and program-model parallel.
• Catholic Social Services of the Diocese of Scranton: Regional Catholic Social Services agency in adjacent NEPA geography providing food, housing, and emergency assistance. Comparable as a multi-program community services nonprofit with similar funding model.
• Second Harvest Food Bank of Northeast Tennessee: Regional Feeding America-affiliated food bank operating a partner-agency distribution model in a multi-county service area. Strong operational parallel to the Weinberg Northeast Regional Food Bank.
• Meals on Wheels America: National organization coordinating meal delivery to seniors; complementary to CEO's Commodity Supplemental Food Program serving 1,800+ seniors monthly. Comparable on senior food-security mission.
• Goodwill Industries of Northeastern Pennsylvania: Regional Goodwill affiliate operating employment training, job placement, and workforce development services in the same NEPA geography. Direct overlap with CEO's Center for Employment Opportunities.
• United Way of Wyoming Valley: Local United Way affiliate in the same NEPA service area that partners with CEO on utility and heating assistance programs. Comparable as a regional fundraising and social-services coordination body.
• Habitat for Humanity of Northeastern Pennsylvania: Regional Habitat affiliate offering housing counseling, homeownership support, and foreclosure-prevention services. Direct overlap with CEO's HUD-approved housing counseling and mortgage foreclosure program.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/CEO.nepa
• Xx.com/CEOWeinbergFB

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles13 records

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

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 Commission on Economic Opportunity