Southeast Texas Food Bank

What Southeast Texas Food Bank does

Southeast Texas Food Bank is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit hunger-relief organization founded in 1991 and headquartered in Beaumont, Texas. Originally launched as a satellite distribution operation of the Houston Food Bank, the organization became an independent Feeding America network member in 2002, enabling direct contracting with the Texas Department of Agriculture for USDA commodity distribution and access to national food manufacturer donations. It serves an eight-county region spanning Jefferson, Orange, Hardin, Jasper, Newton, Polk, Sabine, and Tyler counties, reaching areas where roughly 1 in 5 residents face food insecurity.

The organization operates a multi-program portfolio rather than a single product: emergency food distribution through a network of 130+ partner agencies (food pantries, soup kitchens, churches, crisis shelters), targeted programs including the Backpack Program (serving 1,600+ children across 46 schools), Mobile Pantry for rural and underserved areas, the Senior Food Box Program (CSFP) for low-income seniors 60+, School Tools for economically disadvantaged students, Social Services Enrollment assistance for SNAP/WIC/Medicaid/CHIP/TANF, nutrition education including a Diabetic Pantry Program, and a Retail Store Donation Program that rescues approximately one million pounds of food annually from HEB, Kroger, Walmart, Sam's Club, and other grocers. Annually, the food bank distributes over 10.7 million pounds of food, equating to roughly 90,000 meals and service to 12,000 households each month.

Southeast Texas Food Bank does not sell products; its revenue is generated through individual donations (a $10 donation provides up to 30 meals), corporate sponsorships and grants (notably a $230,000 contribution from Motiva Enterprises in December 2025 and ongoing support from ExxonMobil, Valero, Entergy, and Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas), food drives, federal USDA program funding via TEFAP and CSFP, and in-kind food donations from retail partners. The organization is governed by a Board of Directors chaired by Albert Rhone of ExxonMobil and led by President and CEO Harvey Zernial, who was promoted in July 2022 after serving as Director of Programs and a 15-year board member. Headcount is in the 11-50 range, reflecting a lean operational team supported by an extensive volunteer and partner-agency ecosystem.

Name

Southeast Texas Food Bank

Legal name

Southeast Texas Food Bank

Website

https://setxfoodbank.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1991

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Southeast Texas Food Bank is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that distributes food through 130+ partner agencies and 40+ schools to food-insecure residents across eight Southeast Texas counties, providing roughly 10.7 million pounds of food annually.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Food Bank and Hunger Relief Services

NAICS

Community Food Services (62421)

akta.pro primary industry

Food Assistance & Food Banks (BPAGAEAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Food Assistance & Nutrition Relief (Emergency Feeding) (BPAGAAAD)

Keywords

• Food bank services
• Hunger relief programs
• Food distribution network
• Community nutrition assistance
• Charitable food programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Beaumont

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: Cash donations from individuals, with $10 providing up to 30 meals for people facing food insecurity
2. Corporate Sponsorships & Grants: Funding from corporate sponsors and grants, including a $230,000 donation from Motiva Enterprises
3. Food Drive Revenue: Community food drives generating food and monetary donations distributed through food bank programs

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Southeast Texas Food Bank collects donated and rescued food from individuals, corporations, retailers, and USDA programs, then distributes it free of charge to food-insecure individuals and families across eight Southeast Texas counties through a network of 130+ partner agencies, 46 qualifying schools, and direct programs such as Mobile Pantry and the Senior Food Box. It also offers social services enrollment assistance, nutrition education, school supplies, and a community garden to address the broader effects of hunger.

Product overview

Southeast Texas Food Bank operates as a single-point distribution organization offering multiple interconnected hunger relief programs. The core portfolio includes food distribution services (Mobile Pantry, TEFAP, Retail Store Donation Program), child-focused initiatives (Backpack Program serving 46 schools), senior assistance (Senior Food Box/CSFP Program), social services enrollment support, school supplies (School Tools Program), community gardening (Enrichment Garden), and nutrition education (including specialized Diabetic Pantry Program). Partner agencies and schools serve as distribution channels across eight counties, with the organization leveraging federal programs (USDA, SNAP) and retail partnerships to maximize food rescue and redistribution.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Backpack Program Provides backpacks filled with child-friendly, nutritious, nonperishable food to food-insecure children during weekends and school vacations. Serves over 1,600 children across 46 qualifying schools in seven Southeast Texas counties.
• Mobile Pantry Program Brings food distribution directly to underserved neighborhoods and rural areas through pre-packed boxes or market-style client-choice distribution. Partnered with agencies and organizations to expand food access in food deserts.
• Senior Food Box Program (CSFP) USDA-sponsored Commodity Supplemental Food Program distributing free monthly food boxes to seniors 60 and older who qualify based on income at or below 130% of the poverty level.
• The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP) Distributes USDA-purchased food through state and local resources to households meeting eligibility criteria, administered in partnership with the Texas Department of Agriculture and local organizations.
• Retail Store Donation Program Collects nutritious food (meat, dairy, produce, baked goods) from participating grocers (HEB, Kroger, Sam's Club, Walmart, Dollar General, Big Lots, Bimbo's, Target) that would otherwise be discarded, rescuing approximately one million pounds of food annually.
• School Tools Program Provides free school supplies to economically disadvantaged students through a resource center where teachers at qualifying schools (70%+ free/reduced lunch) can access supplies six times per year, in partnership with Kids in Need Foundation.
• Social Services Enrollment Helps citizens enroll in state-funded social services and healthcare programs including SNAP, WIC, Texas Medicaid, CHIP, and TANF through application assistance centers.
• Enrichment Garden Community garden program started during COVID-19 that provides volunteers opportunities to plant, harvest, and learn basic gardening while supporting the food bank's mission.
• Diabetic Pantry Program Provides nutrition education and healthy food boxes to Type I, Type II, and pre-diabetics through workshops focused on diabetes management and proper nutrition.
• Nutrition Education Classes Interactive nutrition education presentations and cooking demonstrations for kids, adults, seniors, and expectant mothers on healthy eating practices.

Quantifiable outcome

• $10 donation provides up to 30 meals for people facing food insecurity
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• Feeding AmericacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerParent organization membership providing independent food bank status since 2002 with access to national food manufacturer donations and USDA commodity contracting opportunities through Feeding America network of 200+ food banks.
• HEBmajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorParticipating grocery retailer in Retail Store Donation Program, donating meat, dairy, produce and baked goods that would otherwise be discarded.
• KrogermajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorParticipating grocery retailer in Retail Store Donation Program rescuing approximately 1 million pounds of nutritious food annually.
• WalmartmajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorParticipating retailer in Retail Store Donation Program and Fight Hunger. Spark Change. Campaign.
• Sam's ClubmajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorParticipating retailer in Retail Store Donation Program and Fight Hunger. Spark Change. Campaign.
• Dollar GeneralminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorParticipating retailer in Retail Store Donation Program.
• Big LotsminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorParticipating retailer in Retail Store Donation Program.
• TargetminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorParticipating retailer in Retail Store Donation Program.
• Bimbo'sminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorParticipating retailer in Retail Store Donation Program.
• United Way of Beaumont and North Jefferson CountymajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerStrategic partner organization improving lives by mobilizing community resources for common good, including support for food assistance programs.
• United Way of Mid and South Jefferson CountymajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerStrategic partner organization supporting community assistance programs in Southeast Texas.
• Texas Department of AgriculturecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerState agency partner for USDA commodity distribution programs including TEFAP and CSFP.
• Kids in Need FoundationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational nonprofit providing School Tools program supplies for economically disadvantaged students.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Houston Food Bank: Houston Food Bank is a large Feeding America member serving the greater Houston area and surrounding counties. It is highly comparable as a regional food aggregator and distributor, and it was previously the parent organization of Southeast Texas Food Bank.
• North Texas Food Bank: North Texas Food Bank is a large regional food bank distributing food through partner agencies and direct programs. It is a broad incumbent with the same core aggregation, hunger-relief, and community-partnership activities.
• San Antonio Food Bank: San Antonio Food Bank is a large Texas food bank with a wider service area and a broad mix of distribution, nutrition, and workforce programs. It is a broad incumbent comparable in core food aggregation, agency distribution, and institutional partnerships.
• Central Texas Food Bank: Central Texas Food Bank operates a large regional food sourcing and redistribution network serving central Texas. Its scale is greater, but its nonprofit model, agency channel, and government and community partnerships are closely comparable.

Regional players

• Coastal Bend Food Bank: Coastal Bend Food Bank serves multiple counties around the Texas Coastal Bend through member agencies and direct hunger-relief programs. Its multi-county aggregation and redistribution activities are directly comparable to Southeast Texas Food Bank.
• Galveston County Food Bank: Galveston County Food Bank addresses hunger through local food distribution and community partnerships. It shares Southeast Texas Food Bank's food-bank model, last-mile access focus, and dependence on donated or rescued inventory.
• Food Bank of the Golden Crescent: Food Bank of the Golden Crescent serves counties around the Victoria area through food sourcing, agency distribution, and community programs. It is comparable because it operates the same nonprofit food-bank intermediary model across a defined Texas region.
• Montgomery County Food Bank: Montgomery County Food Bank aggregates donated food and distributes it through local programs and community partners. It is comparable in mission, target population, and reliance on an in-kind food supply, although it serves a more concentrated Texas geography.
• Brazos Valley Food Bank: Brazos Valley Food Bank serves a multi-county Texas region through food distribution, partner agencies, and community nutrition programs. Its regional infrastructure and last-mile delivery model are materially similar to Southeast Texas Food Bank.
• Food Bank of East Texas: Food Bank of East Texas distributes donated and purchased food through a network of partner agencies and direct programs across East Texas. Its regional aggregation model, nonprofit structure, and multi-county service territory closely match Southeast Texas Food Bank.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/SETXFOODBANK
• Instagraminstagram.com/setx_foodbank
• Xx.com/setxfoodbank
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/setxfoodbank

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Southeast Texas Food Bank