Food Lifeline

What Food Lifeline does

Food Lifeline is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit food bank headquartered in Seattle, Washington, that rescues and redistributes surplus healthy food to people facing hunger across Western Washington. Founded in 1979 and operating as an affiliate of the Feeding America national network, the organization distributed 73,173,872 pounds of food and served 2,389,902 neighbors in 2023, providing approximately 167,064 daily meals through a network of 461 partner food banks, shelters, and meal programs spanning 17 counties. Core operations are anchored by the Hunger Solution Center distribution facility at 815 S 96th St, Seattle, supported by programs including the Retail and Food Service Partnerships (RAFP), Shop the Dock surplus recovery program, Mobile Food Programs, the Community Food Justice Alliance (CFJA), and the Food Frenzy B2B fundraising competition.

The organization's product surface is operational and programmatic rather than technology-based: it does not sell products, charge for services, or maintain APIs or developer tools. Its proprietary assets consist of distribution logistics, a registered 501(c)(3) status under EIN 91-1090450, BBB Wise Giving Alliance accreditation, and a partner-agency network. Technology usage is limited to a public Food Finder locator, a partner portal, and standard digital marketing channels.

Food Lifeline's revenue model is donation-driven across four primary streams: individual donations (including Monthly Sustainers), corporate food donations from retailers and manufacturers (85% of distributed food), corporate partnerships across sponsorship tiers ($10K-$100K) and fundraising events, and the Spend for Good program aggregating cause-marketing partnerships with Instacart, The Cheesecake Factory, Box Lunch, and Pampered Chef. The organization does not disclose revenue figures and does not generate commercial sales; all food assistance is provided free of charge to individuals facing hunger, and all financial donations are tax-deductible. Go-to-market is community-led: the organization sustains operations through corporate partnerships, individual donations, volunteer engagement, and policy advocacy, with no conventional sales motion.

Name

Food Lifeline

Legal name

Food Lifeline

Website

https://foodlifeline.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1979

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Food Lifeline is a Seattle-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit food bank that rescues and redistributes surplus food to 2.4 million neighbors annually across 17 Western Washington counties through a network of 461 partner food banks and meal programs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Hunger relief services

NAICS

Community Food Services (62421), Emergency and Other Relief Services (624230)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Food Assistance & Food Banks (BPAGAEAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

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

Keywords

• Food bank distribution
• Hunger relief services
• Food rescue operations
• Surplus food redistribution
• Nonprofit meal programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Seattle

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: Individual donors contribute funds through one-time and monthly giving programs, online donations, and mail-in contributions. Monthly sustainers provide recurring support.
2. Corporate Food Donations: Food industry partners donate surplus food products including production overruns, off-specification items, short-dated products, and discontinued brands. These donations make up 85% of food distributed.
3. Corporate Partnerships: Corporate partners contribute through annual sponsorships ($100K, $75K, $50K, $25K, $10K tiers), food drives, fundraising events, and volunteer programs.
4. Spend for Good Programs: Retail partners donate a portion of purchases to Food Lifeline when customers shop with partner companies (Instacart Community Carts, The Cheesecake Factory, Box Lunch, Pampered Chef).

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Food Lifeline rescues surplus food from retailers, manufacturers, and grocers, and redistributes it through a network of 461 partner food banks, shelters, and meal programs serving 17 counties in Western Washington. In 2023, the organization distributed 73.2 million pounds of food to 2.39 million neighbors, with 85% of food sourced from food-industry donations. All food assistance is provided free of charge to individuals and families facing hunger.

Product overview

Food Lifeline is a regional food bank serving Western Washington, operating primarily as a food distribution organization rather than a technology product company. The core offering is the Hunger Solution Center, which distributes food through a network of agency partners. Key programs include: Retail and Food Service Partnerships connecting food banks with grocery stores; Shop the Dock for surplus food redistribution; Food Frenzy summer fundraising competition; Community Food Justice Alliance with regional cohorts; Summer Teen Leadership Program; Mobile Food Programs; and the Spend for Good Guide for corporate giving partnerships. Additional services include Monthly Sustainers recurring donations, Food Finder resource locator, and SUN Bucks summer meal support.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Hunger Solution Center Central distribution facility at 815 S 96th St, Seattle, WA, where Food Lifeline sorts, repackages, and distributes food to a network of food banks, shelters, and meal programs across Western Washington. This is the operational core of the organization's food rescue and redistribution work.
• Retail and Food Service Partnerships (RAFP) Program that connects network partner food banks with local grocery stores to receive unsold food products for distribution to communities in need. Used by partner agencies to source surplus retail food.
• Shop the Dock Program that allows partner agencies to pick up food that is nearing its expiration date or is not available in quantities large enough to be distributed through regular channels, reducing waste while providing food access.
• Mobile Food Programs Programs bringing food directly to underserved communities through mobile distribution, supporting food access in areas lacking convenient brick-and-mortar food bank locations.
• Community Food Justice Alliance (CFJA) Coalition bringing together community leaders, advocates, and organizations committed to advancing food justice through regional cohorts in North, Central, and South regions across 17 counties in Western Washington.
• Community Food Sovereignty Fund Grant program supporting communities in advancing food sovereignty and food justice initiatives.
• Food Frenzy Annual team-building, peer-to-peer summer fundraising competition between businesses and community groups held in July, supporting food banks across the network to combat childhood hunger during summer months when free school meals are unavailable. Raised $700,537 in 2025 from 64 participating companies.
• Summer Teen Leadership Program Youth development program offering educational workshops focused on Food Lifeline's mission, leadership skill-building opportunities, and volunteer sessions for high school students.
• Food Finder Online tool helping people facing hunger locate nearby food banks and nutrition assistance resources in their area across Western Washington.
• SUN Bucks / Summer EBT Program Support Support services for the federal SUN Bucks / Summer EBT program providing $120 per eligible child to help families purchase groceries during summer months when school meals are unavailable, combined with free summer meal programs at sites across the state.
• Monthly Sustainers Recurring monthly donation program providing steady support for agency partners to distribute fresh, culturally relevant food to neighbors in Western Washington.
• Spend for Good Guide Curated list of partner companies including Instacart Community Carts, Cheesecake Factory, Box Lunch, Pampered Chef, and Food Lifeline's Merch Store that donate a portion of purchases to Food Lifeline.
• Young Professionals Group Quarterly events for young professionals focused on community, volunteerism, and civic engagement to support Food Lifeline's mission.

Quantifiable outcome

• 2,389,902 neighbors served annually
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers4 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

14 partnerships are on record, tiered major, core, flagship and minor.

• Draper Valley FarmsmajorGTM or Marketing Partner · 22 April 2026Draper Valley Farms donated over 330,000 pounds of surplus frozen chicken to Food Lifeline, providing approximately 1 million meals for Western Washington neighbors. The donation addressed the high demand for protein in food bank partner requests.
• Feeding AmericacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFood Lifeline is a member of the Feeding America network, the nation's largest domestic hunger-relief organization. This affiliation provides access to national resources, advocacy support, and shared best practices for food banking operations.
• HelloFreshmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHelloFresh partnered with Food Lifeline, United Way of King County, and No Kid Hungry to provide fresh meals during summer months. Volunteers packed and distributed 3,000 meals to 750 families to address the summer meals gap.
• United Way of King CountymajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborated on summer meals program partnership with HelloFresh and No Kid Hungry to distribute meals to families when school-based meal programs are unavailable.
• No Kid HungrycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to address childhood hunger during summer months when free school meals are unavailable. Part of broader effort to connect families to SUN Bucks and summer meal programs.
• Sound Community BankflagshipGTM or Marketing PartnerPresenting sponsor of Food Frenzy since 2016. Raised over $500,000 for Food Lifeline over 14 years of participation. Contributes through fundraising, food drives, and volunteer activities.
• Seattle SeahawksmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerNFL team partnership includes volunteer events at Food Lifeline distribution center (sorted 4,800 lbs of apples), donations ($2,500), and community engagement through mascot Blitz and team members.
• InstacartminorGTM or Marketing PartnerInstacart's Community Carts program allows customers to purchase items for their local Feeding America food bank with no delivery charges.
• The Cheesecake FactoryminorGTM or Marketing PartnerThrough July 2026, The Cheesecake Factory donates a portion of every purchase of a slice of Peach Perfect with Raspberry Drizzle to Food Lifeline.
• Box LunchminorGTM or Marketing PartnerFor every $10 spent, BOXLUNCH donates a meal through Feeding America.
• Pampered ChefminorGTM or Marketing PartnerWhen customers buy the Give Back Set (September 2025-August 2026), Pampered Chef helps provide 10 meals to families through Feeding America.
• StarbucksmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerStarbucks partners (employees) participated in Global Month of Good, creating nearly 50,000 meals during volunteer events at Food Lifeline.
• Lummi NationmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity partner participating in Feeding America Fly-In advocacy efforts in Washington, DC. Lummi Nation representative advocated for culturally relevant foods and food sovereignty.
• Pacific Islander Community Association (PICA)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity partner advocating for culturally relevant foods as part of the Community Food Justice Alliance. Participated in Feeding America Fly-In to advocate for policy changes.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Los Angeles Regional Food Bank: One of the largest Feeding America food banks in the U.S., distributing food through a large partner agency network. Comparable scale and partner-led distribution model, though serving a far larger and more urban geography.
• Food Bank of New York City: Major Feeding America food bank serving NYC through a network of pantries and soup kitchens. Comparable in distributing tens of millions of pounds annually and combining direct distribution with policy advocacy.
• Gleaners Community Food Bank: Detroit-area Feeding America food bank distributing food through partner agencies and operating direct distribution programs. Comparable scale, partner network model, and combined food distribution plus nutrition education mission.
• Feeding San Diego: Feeding America affiliate serving San Diego County through a partner agency network. Closely comparable in operating model, network size, and regional hunger-relief mission, though smaller in geographic scope than Food Lifeline's 17 counties.
• Second Harvest Heartland: Large Minnesota-based Feeding America food bank distributing tens of millions of pounds annually through partner agencies. Comparable in scale, regional network model, and combined food distribution plus advocacy positioning.
• Oregon Food Bank: Regional food bank serving Oregon and Clark County, WA, distributing food through a partner network and engaging in food justice advocacy. Highly comparable in business model, Feeding America membership, and dual distribution-plus-advocacy strategy.
• Northwest Harvest: Washington state's largest statewide hunger relief nonprofit, distributing food through a partner network across all 39 counties. Direct comparable in scale, Feeding America affiliation, and mission focus on food insecurity in the Pacific Northwest.
• Capital Area Food Bank: Washington D.C.-area Feeding America food bank distributing food through partner agencies and operating direct distribution programs. Comparable in size, partner-network model, and combined hunger-relief plus nutrition-education focus.

Emerging players

• No Kid Hungry: National campaign focused on ending childhood hunger through school meal programs, summer feeding, and SNAP outreach. Strategic partner of Food Lifeline with overlapping focus on summer meals gap and SUN Bucks enrollment in Washington.

Broad incumbents

• Feeding America: National network of 200+ food banks including Food Lifeline. Functions as both an umbrella organization providing shared infrastructure, sourcing, and advocacy, and as a peer in the hunger-relief sector overall.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@FoodLifelineSeattle
• Facebookfacebook.com/FoodLifeline
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/food-lifeline
• Instagraminstagram.com/foodlifeline
• Xx.com/FoodLifeline

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds2 records

Investors2 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 Food Lifeline