UA3

What UA3 does

UA3 Inc. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 2015 and headquartered in Manhattan's Lower East Side at 384 Grand St #1A, New York, NY 10002. The organization was created by siblings Katelyn and Sean Hong, who began charitable work in 2012 by raising funds for mini iPads at P.S. 130, and formally incorporated the following trajectory into a community-services mission centered on food security, youth empowerment, and access to essential resources for New Yorkers. UA3 employs 1-10 staff and is led by Chairman and President Donald Hong, with a board and operational team spanning nonprofit, civic, healthcare, and finance backgrounds.

The organization's flagship program is the Community First Food Pantry, launched in March 2020 as an emergency COVID-19 response to food insecurity. It operates two days per week (Mondays and Thursdays) from the Lower East Side location, distributing free fresh produce, groceries, and culturally appropriate food to anyone in need regardless of income, immigration status, or background; appointments are scheduled via the third-party Plentiful App, with walk-in availability. UA3 supplements the pantry with a Youth Leadership Development program (ages 10-15), a Youth Empowerment Program launched in 2024 for high-school and college-aged youth, multilingual Nutritional Workshops in Cantonese and Mandarin, civic Candidate Forums, and the CBO 100 Network — partnerships with over 100 community-based organizations distributing food and essentials across all five NYC boroughs. Notable operational partners include Trader Joe's (food donations from multiple stores), Trinity Church Wall Street (food donations plus a donated refrigerated truck for cold-chain fresh produce), United Way of NYC, Lions Club International, Columbia University Teachers College, and Bank of America.

UA3 generates no service revenue; all programs are free to recipients. Funding comes from individual donations (online via Givelively, Zelle to [email protected], text UA3LOVE to 44321, and mailed checks), corporate and foundation grants (Robin Hood, Con Edison, Trader Joe's, National Grid, Fidelity, plus healthcare and government-aligned donors), and government/elected-official partnerships. The organization states that over 90% of monetary resources go directly to assist NYC residents. Cumulative impact since March 2020 includes more than 6 million pounds of food distributed, $20M+ of fresh produce and food products channeled through the network, 10 million masks, and $10M of healthcare/hand-sanitizer products; in 2024 the pantry served an average of 8,447 people per month, and the Community First Food Pantry alone fed 6,515 New Yorkers in 2025.

Name

UA3

Legal name

UA3 Inc.

Website

https://ua3now.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2015

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

UA3 is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit in Manhattan's Lower East Side that addresses food insecurity across New York City through the Community First Food Pantry, a 100+ community-based-organization distribution network, and youth programs serving food-insecure families, immigrants, and high-school-age youth.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Food Services

NAICS

Community Food Services (624210)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Food Assistance & Food Banks (BPAGAEAA)

Keywords

• Food security services
• Community food pantry
• Youth empowerment programs
• Emergency food distribution
• Nonprofit social services

Headquarters

HQ city

New York

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: UA3 accepts individual donations through multiple channels including online via Givelively platform, Zelle ([email protected]), text message (Text UA3LOVE to 44321), and check donations mailed to their office. The organization is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit with Federal Tax ID 47-4803090.
2. Corporate and Foundation Grants: UA3 receives support from corporate partners and foundations including Robin Hood, Con Edison, Trader Joe's, National Grid, and various other donors. The organization states that over 90% of monetary resources are used directly to assist NYC residents.
3. Government Partnerships: UA3 collaborates with government agencies and elected officials to support food distribution efforts and community programs, though specific funding details are not detailed.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

UA3 operates the Community First Food Pantry, distributing free fresh produce and groceries to food-insecure New Yorkers across all five boroughs. The organization supplements this core service with the Youth Empowerment Program, Youth Leadership Development, Nutritional Workshops, Candidate Forums, and a CBO 100 Network of more than 100 community-based organization partners.

Product overview

UA3 is a community-based nonprofit organization offering a portfolio of social service programs centered on food security, youth empowerment, and community well-being. The core offering is the Community First Food Pantry (operating since 2020), which distributes fresh produce and food to New Yorkers in need. Supplementary programs include the Youth Empowerment Program (launched 2024) providing after-school support for high school and college-aged youth, Youth Leadership Development for younger volunteers, Nutritional Workshops offering cooking and health education, Candidate Forums for civic engagement, and the CBO 100 Network coordinating food distribution across over 100 partner organizations throughout NYC's five boroughs.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Community First Food Pantry: A food pantry program providing fresh, healthy, and culturally appropriate food as well as PPEs to community members in need, regardless of income, background, or circumstances.
• Youth Empowerment Program

Products and services

• Community First Food Pantry Free food distribution program providing fresh produce and groceries to food-insecure individuals and families in New York City across all five boroughs, with a primary on-site distribution presence on the Lower East Side.
• Youth Empowerment Program Program launched in 2024 to empower and develop youth in underserved New York City communities through structured activities and learning opportunities.
• Youth Leadership Development Youth programming that builds leadership skills, civic engagement, and self-sufficiency among young people in underserved New York City communities.
• Nutritional Workshops Workshops that provide nutritional education and health resources to community members, supporting the food security mission with knowledge to maximize healthy use of distributed groceries.
• Candidate Forums Community forums featuring candidates and civic leaders, designed to engage residents of underserved neighborhoods in civic life and increase representation.
• CBO 100 Network A network of more than 100 community-based organization partners that collaborate on food security, youth, and community empowerment initiatives across New York City, enabling joint programming and resource sharing.
• Health and Wellness Programs Health and wellness programs supporting community members served by UA3's food pantry and youth programs, complementing food distribution with broader well-being services.

Quantifiable outcome

• 6,515 New Yorkers fed by the Community First Food Pantry in 2025
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Trinity Church Wall StreetcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerTrinity Church Wall Street is a key partner that has provided UA3 with countless boxes of Quaker oats, Skippy peanut butter, rice, and other goods. They have also donated a refrigerated truck to keep vegetables and produce fresh. Their invaluable contributions support UA3's food distribution efforts.
• United Way of New York CitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUnited Way of New York City focuses on education and identifying and resolving pressing community issues like food insecurity. Their partnership with UA3 supports measurable changes in communities through schools, government agencies, and businesses.
• Lions Club InternationalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLions Club International is a volunteer organization dedicated to empowering volunteers to serve their communities, meeting humanitarian needs, encouraging peace, and promoting international understanding. UA3's Vice President Simon Chik is President of Flushing Central Lions Club.
• Trader Joe'scoreGTM or Marketing PartnerTrader Joe's provides food donations including bread, fruit, frozen meat, and other groceries to UA3's food pantry operations. UA3 has expanded its partnership with Trader Joe's with an increased number of stores supplying food and supplies, reaching communities from South Bronx to Sunset Park.
• Columbia University Teachers CollegecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUA3 partnered with Columbia University Teachers College on a cooking workshop and cookbook collaboration. M.S.-RDN Candidates Anna Liang and Cindy Xu created a cookbook featuring nutritious, accessible recipes in partnership with NewYork-Presbyterian. Nutrition interns from the program also conduct workshops at UA3.
• 384 Grand Street HDFCcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner384 Grand Street HDFC is UA3's primary partner providing affordable housing to the community and generous operational support. The five-story building provides revenue enabling UA3 to support its Digital Divide initiative.
• NYU Langone Medical, Harvard Medical School, Massachusetts General HospitalminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUA3 partnered with these prestigious medical institutions to present 'Looking for Luke,' a documentary film promoting mental health and wellness about depression as a treatable mental illness.
• South Bronx UnitedminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUA3 supported South Bronx United Academy with high technology computers and help-desk services, contributing to their pathway program from middle school to high school to college to careers for South Bronx and immigrant youth.
• CBO 100 Network PartnerscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorUA3 has partnered with over 100 Community Based Organizations across all five boroughs including organizations in the Bronx (Carmen Parson's Senior Houses, Charity Baptist Church), Brooklyn (Brooklyn Community Foundation, Tzu Chi Foundation), Manhattan (Henry Street Settlement, Chinatown Partnership), and Queens (various Lions Clubs, Rotary Club of New York).

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Others

• United Way of New York City: Major NYC funder and convener of nonprofits addressing poverty, food insecurity, and education. Both a current strategic partner of UA3 and a comparable ecosystem participant that funnels donations to community organizations.
• Robin Hood Foundation: One of NYC's largest anti-poverty funders supporting food, housing, education, and workforce programs. Listed as a UA3 funder; included as an ecosystem peer rather than direct service competitor.

Broad incumbents

• Catholic Charities of New York: Large multi-service NYC nonprofit providing food, housing, immigration, and social services across boroughs. Comparable mission and beneficiary base but at a much larger scale and broader portfolio.

Direct peers

• The Campaign Against Hunger: Brooklyn-based food pantry and hunger-relief nonprofit operating community choice pantries and healthy eating programs. Comparable as a smaller, community-anchored NYC food pantry operator with similar beneficiary profile.
• Hunger Free America: National anti-hunger advocacy and direct-service nonprofit with strong NYC presence, addressing food insecurity through outreach, benefits access, and food distribution. Comparable mission and beneficiary population.
• Food Bank for New York City: Major NYC food bank serving food-insecure residents through pantries, mobile distributions, and SNAP assistance. Closest direct peer given overlapping mission, NYC geography, and pantry-based distribution model.
• God's Love We Deliver: NYC nonprofit providing medically tailored meals and nutrition counseling to individuals living with serious illness. Comparable as a NYC-based food security nonprofit combining food distribution with health-related programming.
• City Harvest: NYC's largest food rescue organization collecting surplus food and distributing to communities in need. Directly comparable as a NYC-focused food security nonprofit operating across multiple boroughs through partner networks.

Regional players

• Henry Street Settlement: Lower East Side social services nonprofit offering food assistance, education, workforce development, and arts programming. Listed as a UA3 CBO 100 partner; comparable as a neighborhood-anchored multi-service nonprofit in the same Lower East Side footprint.
• Island Harvest Food Bank: Long Island-based food bank distributing food to pantries and feeding programs. Comparable operating model (food bank + partner pantries) but serves a different geography than UA3's NYC focus.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/UA3now1
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@Ua3now
• Facebookfacebook.com/UA3now
• Instagraminstagram.com/ua3.now
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ua3now

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles18 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 UA3