FOODiversity

What FOODiversity does

FOODiversity is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in June 2020 and headquartered in Mooresville, North Carolina, that addresses the intersection of food insecurity and medically necessary dietary restrictions arising from food allergies, celiac disease, and food intolerances. The organization operates a portfolio of programs including the Food Delivery Program (direct-to-household monthly grocery credits through Attane Health's Free From Market marketplace), the Early Introduction Parent Program (EIPP) for infant allergen-introduction education, the Allergy-Friendly Pantry Initiative (AFPI) with Second Harvest Food Bank of East Tennessee, a Disaster Relief Program, weekend backpack meal support, and educational content delivered via a network of food pantries, schools, healthcare providers, and school nurses. No proprietary technology platform underpins the operations; instead, FOODiversity functions as a coordination hub connecting existing community distribution channels with assessment tools (Food Pantry & Food Bank Assessment Tools, Food Pantry Patron Questionnaire) and grant-funded beneficiary credits.

Revenue mechanics are those of a grant- and donation-funded nonprofit rather than a commercial enterprise. Confirmed funding includes $10,000 from the EnergyUnited Foundation (2022), $1,500 from the Weyerhaeuser Giving Fund (2025), and an undisclosed share of a $400,000 National Peanut Board Food Allergy Research Grant program (2024). Beneficiaries receive services at no direct cost; referrals originate from food pantries, healthcare providers, and school nurses. The organization is volunteer-led by founder Wendy Gordon Pake, with a 1-10 person operational team and a board governing program strategy. Programmatic scale includes over $90,000 in allergy-friendly foods distributed by August 2023 and a beneficiary footprint spanning 16 states, with concentration in North Carolina and expansion into Tennessee through the Second Harvest partnership announced in May 2025.

Name

FOODiversity

Legal name

FOODiversity

Website

https://foodiversity.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2020

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

FOODiversity is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that delivers allergen-friendly and gluten-free food, education, and assessment tools to food-insecure individuals with food allergies, celiac disease, or food intolerances through a hub of food banks, schools, and healthcare partners.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Food Assistance Nonprofit Services

NAICS

Community Food Services (62421), Community Food Services (624210), Community Food and Housing, and Emergency and Other Relief Services (6242)

akta.pro primary industry

Food Assistance & Food Banks (BPAGAEAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Food Allergy Management & Special Diet Support (EDACAMAG), Food & Nutrition Assistance Programs (BPAIAKAF)

Keywords

• Food insecurity support
• Allergen-free food access
• Medically tailored groceries
• Food allergy resources
• Community food assistance

Headquarters

HQ city

Mooresville

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Grants: FOODiversity operates as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. The organization raises funds through tax-deductible donations, corporate matching gift programs, foundation grants (e.g., Weyerhaeuser Giving Fund, EnergyUnited Foundation, National Peanut Board), and community outreach. EIN: 86-2607349.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

FOODiversity operates a coordinated hub of programs addressing food insecurity for individuals with food allergies, celiac disease, and food intolerances. Core offerings include the Food Delivery Program (monthly credits for allergen-friendly groceries via an online marketplace), the Early Introduction Parent Program (infant feeding allergen education), the Allergy-Friendly Pantry Initiative for food banks, weekend backpack program support for students, and disaster relief safe-food distribution. Programs are delivered at no direct cost to beneficiaries through partner food pantries, school nurses, healthcare providers, and direct-to-household channels.

Product overview

FOODiversity is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that operates as a coordinated hub of resources addressing food insecurity for individuals with food allergies, celiac disease, and food intolerances. The organization's portfolio includes the Food Delivery Program (providing monthly credits for allergen-friendly groceries through online marketplaces), the Early Introduction Parent Program (EIPP) for infant feeding education, the Allergy-Friendly Pantry Initiative (AFPI) in partnership with Second Harvest Food Bank, disaster relief services, weekend backpack program support, and community education events. Programs are delivered through food pantries, healthcare providers, school nurses, and direct-to-household distribution channels.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Food Delivery Program Direct-to-household medically tailored groceries program providing monthly credits to households for allergen-friendly and gluten-free food purchases through the Free From Market online marketplace. Households can filter products by allergen(s), cultural preference, and health concern. Enrollees are referred by food pantries, healthcare providers, and school nurses and receive services at no direct cost.
• Early Introduction Parent Program (EIPP) Community-based parent education program designed to raise awareness and improve knowledge of early allergen introduction among parents and caregivers, particularly those with limited resources and limited access to preventative healthcare. Funded by a National Peanut Board grant.
• Allergy-Friendly Pantry Initiative (AFPI) Partnership program, launched with Second Harvest Food Bank of East Tennessee, providing guidelines, site visits, food sourcing introductions, and assessment tools so that food banks can accommodate patrons with food allergies, celiac disease, and food intolerances. Expanded FOODiversity's footprint to 18 Tennessee counties serving 202,500+ food-insecure people.
• Weekend Backpack Program Support Provides allergy-friendly food and education for students with food allergies and intolerances who participate in weekend backpack meal programs, addressing weekend hunger gaps for students who receive school meals during the week but lack safe food on weekends.
• Disaster Relief Program Emergency food assistance providing allergen-friendly and gluten-free foods to households impacted by natural disasters, deployed during events such as Hurricane Helene and the Los Angeles wildfires in partnership with organizations including AAFA and FAACT.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over $90,000 worth of allergy-friendly foods distributed to families and organizations by August 2023
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Center for Food Allergy and Asthma Research (CFAAR)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 27 June 2025Three research posters developed by FOODiversity were accepted for presentation at CFAAR's Food Allergy Summit in Chicago. FOODiversity presents impact data on Food Delivery Program, Early Introduction Parent Program, and disaster relief efforts.
• Second Harvest Food Bank of East TennesseecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 2 May 2025Strategic partnership to increase access to allergen-friendly and gluten-free foods in 18 Tennessee counties. FOODiversity provides guidance on storing, displaying, and distributing allergen-friendly products; site visits to partner pantries; introductions to food sourcing options; and FOODiversity's Food Pantry & Food Bank Assessment Tools. Second Harvest estimates 202,500+ people in its service area are food-insecure, with 1 in 4 impacted by dietary restrictions.
• Allergy & Asthma NetworkcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFOODiversity presented at the Social Influencers Summit prior to Allergy & Asthma Day on Capitol Hill (AADCH). Wendy Gordon Pake presented 'Hot Seat Topic: Food Allergies and Food Insecurity' to an audience of physicians, patients, nonprofits, and industry partners.
• Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration during Hurricane Helene disaster relief efforts. FOODiversity worked with AAFA to distribute safe foods to households in Western NC impacted by the disaster.
• Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Connection Team (FAACT)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership during Hurricane Helene and Los Angeles Wildfires disaster response to distribute allergen-friendly and gluten-free foods to in-need households with dietary restrictions.
• Attane Health / Free From MarketcoreTechnology or IntegrationFOODiversity enrolls customers into Free From Market's allergen-friendly online marketplace, funding each customer with a monthly shopping credit. Customers can filter products by allergen(s), cultural preference, and health concerns.
• Food Equality Initiative (FEI)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorFamilies referred by FOODiversity can become FEI clients and receive monthly credits at Free From Market. FOODiversity provides funding for families to access FEI services.
• Parents of Allergic Kids (PAK)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborating organization that received Community Outreach grant from FARE. PAK worked with FOODiversity to coordinate weekend allergy-friendly meals for Bags of Hope backpack program.
• Immunity Group AustraliaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-hosted 'Feeding Community Health' event in Charlotte, NC with over 50 food allergy community organizations participating. FOODiversity co-host Wendy Pake spoke on panel about breaking down barriers to nutrition.
• Bags of HopeminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorBackpack organization serving multiple schools. Received six-weekend supply of allergy-friendly meals for 30 students with food allergies representing 13 different schools through FOODiversity/PAK collaboration.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Parents of Allergic Kids (PAK): Charlotte-based parent-led nonprofit for families managing childhood food allergies. Direct operational partner with FOODiversity for weekend backpack meal programs and FARE grant recipient for community outreach.
• Food Equality Initiative (FEI): Kansas City-based 501(c)(3) that provides allergen-friendly and gluten-free food, advocacy, and education to individuals with food allergies and celiac disease experiencing food insecurity. Closest mission-aligned peer to FOODiversity, and even an explicit referral partner via the Free From Market marketplace.
• Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Connection Team (FAACT): National food-allergy nonprofit focused on education, advocacy, and support. Partnered with FOODiversity on disaster-relief responses (Hurricane Helene, LA wildfires), and shares a similar constituency of allergic families needing tailored resources.

Emerging players

• Bags of Hope: School backpack meal program serving children with food insecurity, including those with food allergies. Distribution partner that channels FOODiversity-funded allergy-friendly meals to students across multiple schools.
• Center for Food Allergy and Asthma Research (CFAAR): Academic research center at the University of Chicago hosting the annual Food Allergy Summit. Provides the research-validation platform through which FOODiversity publishes program outcomes, elevating its credibility.

Broad incumbents

• Attane Health (Free From Market): Operates the Free From Market online grocery marketplace for allergen-friendly and dietary-restricted products. Functions as the commercial backbone FOODiversity relies on to deliver its Food Delivery Program, making it a peer/partner operating the consumer-facing layer.
• Feeding America: Largest U.S. hunger-relief nonprofit network of 200+ food banks. Increasingly addressing dietary restrictions within emergency food distribution; represents both a partnership channel for FOODiversity and the most likely large-scale competitor as it adapts pantry offerings.
• Food Allergy Research and Education (FARE): Largest U.S. private funder of food allergy research, education, and advocacy. Provides Community Outreach grants (including those reaching FOODiversity's partner PAK) and shapes the national policy environment in which FOODiversity operates.
• Allergy & Asthma Network: National nonprofit providing patient education, advocacy, and Allergy & Asthma Day on Capitol Hill. Strategic advocacy partner that amplifies FOODiversity's policy voice and includes it in national convenings.
• Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA): Long-standing patient advocacy organization for asthma and allergic diseases. Collaborated with FOODiversity on disaster relief and provides the broader disease-community umbrella under which niche food-access programs operate.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/carolinafoodiversity
• Xx.com/FOODiversityOrg

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 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 FOODiversity