Student Support Network

What Student Support Network does

Student Support Network is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in December 2015 in Baltimore County, Maryland, that operates school-based 'Rooms of Support' inside 21 Baltimore County Public Schools to provide free food, clothing, school supplies, and personal hygiene products to students living in poverty. The organization was originally created as the Loch Raven Network by founder Laurie Taylor-Mitchell after a 2015 holiday drive supporting five families at Loch Raven High School, was formalized as a tax-exempt entity in 2016, and rebranded to Student Support Network as it expanded to additional schools. Core service lines include in-school Rooms of Support, weekend food bags, fresh food distributions during school breaks, a period products program distributing 500+ packs annually, emergency family assistance, and systemic-change advocacy supported by published poverty heat maps of Baltimore County. Operations are run by a 1-10 person staff under Executive Director Wendy Stringfellow, with a volunteer-driven model that depends on individual donations, corporate sponsorships (T. Rowe Price, CareFirst, Constellation Energy, Wegmans), foundation grants (Baltimore Community Foundation, Kahlert Foundation), retail register campaigns, university internship pipelines, and a branded merchandise storefront that contributes 30% of each sale. Technology is limited to standard nonprofit tools (PayPal, LGLForms, Print Your Cause); there is no proprietary software or AI/ML capability. The 10-year operating history, Charity Navigator and Candid/GuideStar transparency credentials, and formal 2024-2027 Strategic Plan position the organization as an established, governance-maturing community nonprofit serving a documented need (85% of students in partner schools qualify for Free and Reduced Price meals; Johns Hopkins University 2024 data shows 1 in 3 Baltimore County families is food insecure).

Name

Student Support Network

Legal name

Student Support Network

Website

https://studentsupportnetwork.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2015

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Student Support Network is a Baltimore County 501(c)(3) nonprofit that operates 21 school-based 'Rooms of Support' inside Baltimore County Public Schools, providing free food, clothing, supplies, and personal hygiene products to students experiencing poverty, supported by donations, corporate partners, and volunteers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Student Poverty and Food Insecurity Relief Services

NAICS

Community Food and Housing, and Emergency and Other Relief Services (6242), Community Food Services (624210), Educational Support Services (6117)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

K–12 Support & School Improvement Nonprofits (BPAGADAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Public Student Support & Related Services (Counseling, SEL, Health, Safety) (EDAJAAAK), Community Centers & Neighborhood Support Services (BPAGAEAL), Food & Nutrition Assistance Programs (BPAIAKAF)

Keywords

• Student poverty support
• Food insecurity relief
• School-based charity
• Basic necessities distribution
• Nonprofit student services

Headquarters

HQ city

Lutherville Timonium

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: Tax-deductible charitable donations from individuals processed via PayPal and direct donation links on the website.
2. Corporate Donations and Sponsorships: Direct corporate donations, sponsorship of events like A Night for the Network, and corporate workplace giving campaigns including Maryland Charity Campaign.
3. Merchandise Sales: Branded merchandise (hats, shirts, totes) sold through Print Your Cause marketplace. 30% of each purchase goes to support the Network.
4. Retail Partnership Donations: Store-based fundraising programs where retailers donate a portion of sales or register donations to the organization (e.g., Giant Food Community Bags, Weis Markets register donations).

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Student Support Network operates 21 school-based Rooms of Support within Baltimore County Public Schools, stocking free food, clothing, school supplies, personal hygiene products, and period products for students experiencing poverty. The organization supplements these in-school services with weekend food bag distributions, fresh food distributions during school breaks, emergency assistance for families in crisis, and systemic advocacy programs.

Product overview

The Student Support Network operates a network of 21 school-based Rooms of Support across Baltimore County Public Schools, providing free food, basic necessities, school supplies, clothing, and personal hygiene products to students living in poverty. The organization supplements its core in-school services with weekend food bag programs, fresh food distributions during school breaks, period product distribution, emergency assistance, and advocacy services aimed at systemic change. An online merchandise store provides additional fundraising support, with proceeds benefiting the mission.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Rooms of Support School-based rooms stocked with free food, school supplies, clothing, and personal care products for students in need. Currently operating in 21 Baltimore County Public Schools, providing stigma-free access to basic necessities during school hours.
• Weekend Food Bags

Quantifiable outcome

• 85% of students in partner schools qualify for Free and Reduced Price meals
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

28 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Baltimore Ravens Leadership InstitutecoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 6 May 2026Partnership for packing events to support BCPS students in need. Executive Director Wendy Stringfellow spoke at events about mission, food insecurity, and poverty. Board member Sandra Shon led packing events alongside volunteers.
• Business Volunteers MarylandcoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 6 May 2026Community programs to enhance nonprofits and strengthen the community. Partnered with Baltimore Ravens Leadership Institute and T. Rowe Price for packing events. Recruits volunteers and board members including Sandra Shon.
• T. Rowe PricecoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 6 May 2026Corporate partner for packing events and annual Thanksgiving food distribution at Owings Mills location. Employees participate in volunteer activities supporting network schools.
• Loyola BlakefieldcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerMonthly donations of pantry food items to stock shelves for students and families. Consistent monthly effort reflecting commitment to community care, compassion, and service.
• Towson UniversitycoreGTM or Marketing PartnerSemester-long internship program providing students who contribute to heavy lifting, operational support, and behind-the-scenes work. Partnership provides both workforce and community benefit.
• Soles4SoulscoreGTM or Marketing PartnerProvided 500 brand-new, brand-name shoes and Bombas socks to students. Partnership helps students feel confident, participate in gym, and play outdoors.
• Weis MarketscoreGTM or Marketing PartnerBaltimore County stores donated $10,000 in gift cards during COVID pandemic. Twelve stores participate in annual Giving Tuesday with $500 upfront contributions each plus customer donations at registers. Corporate and store-level support.
• COTYminorGTM or Marketing PartnerHunt Valley office provided hygiene items for students living in poverty in 21 BCPS network schools. Donations help students feel confident in school.
• The Home DepotminorGTM or Marketing PartnerDollar Days promotion support enabled purchase of 1,250 bottles of Palmolive for essential hygiene supplies for students across Baltimore County.
• CareFirstminorGTM or Marketing PartnerHosted food and personal care drive with significant impact on community. Deirdre Perkins highlighted invaluable work of organization.
• Sankofa's ChoiceminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCollected and donated personal hygiene items for students in Baltimore County. Helps ensure students show up feeling clean, confident, and ready to learn.
• Giant FoodminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCommunity Bag program at Timonium location (2145 York Road). Student Support Network receives $1 for every $2.75 reusable bag purchased during November.
• WegmanscoreGTM or Marketing PartnerHunt Valley location donated food for Raven's Caw to Action Day event. 300 weekend food bags packed with non-perishable items for distribution.
• U by Kotex / Alliance For Period SuppliescoreGTM or Marketing PartnerMajor donation of 8 pallets of period products for distribution to students. Partnership addresses period poverty as major part of mission.
• Maryland Book BankminorGTM or Marketing PartnerDonated 1,000 books monthly for 6 months (6,000 total books) for children to be distributed by volunteers to delighted children and families.
• Constellation EnergyminorGTM or Marketing PartnerVolunteer Day provided school supplies for network students. DEI initiatives enabled hundreds of students to be prepared for school year.
• WMAR-2 News BaltimoreminorGTM or Marketing PartnerLocal news coverage of Student Support Network spotlighting volunteers and mission impact during back-to-school season and ongoing coverage.
• Johns Hopkins UniversitycoreGTM or Marketing PartnerResearch partner providing data on student poverty and food insecurity. 2024 study showing 1 in 3 Baltimore County families is food insecure. Recognized volunteer Phoebe Evans Letocha with MLK Jr. Community Service Award.
• Park School of BaltimoreminorGTM or Marketing PartnerWinter break camp students packed weekend food bags to help ensure students have meals. Teaches students importance of community and giving back.
• Lions Club (Baltimore Nepalese)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerGenerous donation and support of Student Support Network mission to help Baltimore County students in need.
• MOD PizzaminorGTM or Marketing PartnerHosted winter coat drive supporting Student Support Network. Students in community will stay warm thanks to generous donations.
• Kappa Alpha Psi Alumni ChapterminorGTM or Marketing PartnerGenerous donations provided amazing hygiene kits for both male and female students at network schools.
• Delta Sigma Theta Sorority (Baltimore County Alumnae Chapter)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerGenerous donations provided amazing hygiene kits for both male and female students at network schools.
• Kappa Alpha Psi (Towson-Catonsville Alumni Chapter)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerGenerous donations provided amazing hygiene kits for both male and female students at network schools.
• Navigating CMS Spring 2026 ConferenceminorGTM or Marketing PartnerStudent Support Network served as benefiting charity for conference. Index Analytics, J29, JOS, ePathUSA, Cloud7Works, and other companies supported mission.
• Cockeysville Grocery OutletminorGTM or Marketing PartnerIndependence From Hunger program partnership. Shoppers who donate $5 or a bag of prepackaged groceries receive $5 coupon. Win-win for community.
• Towson United SoccerminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCompetition to collect new winter jackets, sweatpants, and sweatshirts for 21 Rooms of Support. Winning team collected most items.
• Towson Communities AllianceminorGTM or Marketing PartnerHosted paper shredding event benefiting Student Support Network. Residents could shred papers and donate nonperishable food.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Communities In Schools: National nonprofit that places coordinators inside public schools to connect students with basic needs and support services. Operates a similar school-based distribution model for at-risk K-12 students, making it the closest direct peer to Student Support Network.
• Kids In Need Foundation: National nonprofit providing school supplies and basic necessities to under-resourced students in K-12 schools. Mirrors SSN's school supplies and clothing distribution component.
• Schoolhouse Connection: National nonprofit focused on education and support for children and youth experiencing homelessness, including school-based interventions. Comparable target population and school-based service delivery.
• Alliance For Period Supplies: National organization addressing period poverty through product distribution and advocacy. Direct match for SSN's period poverty program and a current partner via U by Kotex.

Broad incumbents

• No Kid Hungry (Share Our Strength): Large national campaign addressing childhood hunger through school meal programs, advocacy, and grants. Operates at much greater scale but addresses the same core problem of food insecurity among school-age children.
• Maryland Food Bank: Statewide food bank distributing food through partner agencies across Maryland. Provides potential upstream supply source for SSN while competing for food assistance funding in the same region.
• Feeding America: Nation's largest domestic hunger-relief organization with a network of 200+ food banks. Operates broadly in food assistance including school-based programs like backpack initiatives, overlapping with SSN's weekend food bag distribution.
• United Way of Central Maryland: Regional United Way affiliate funding and convening social services across Baltimore area. Competes for corporate workplace giving dollars and serves as referral source (211) for families SSN serves.

Regional players

• Baltimore Hunger Project: Baltimore-area nonprofit providing weekend food bags and meals to food-insecure students in local schools. Highly comparable service model (weekend food bags) in the same Baltimore County geography.
• Hungry Harvest: Baltimore-based produce delivery service that rescues surplus food and distributes to food-insecure communities. Shares geography and food-distribution mission, though primarily a subscription model rather than school-embedded.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/SSNBaltimoreCo
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ssnbaltimoreco
• Instagraminstagram.com/SSNBaltimoreCo

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 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 Student Support Network