Sankofa Community Development Corporation

What Sankofa Community Development Corporation does

Sankofa Community Development Corporation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2005 by Lower Ninth Ward residents, led by Founder and CEO Rashida Ferdinand, to drive community-led recovery and development in New Orleans following Hurricane Katrina. The organization operates an integrated portfolio of five programs anchored in a single geography: a 40-acre restored Wetland Park & Nature Trail (with 8 million gallons of stormwater storage capacity and 100+ returned bird species), the Fresh Start Market green grocery (a former USDA food desert elimination point offering ~30% savings vs. corporate chains), the Lower Nine Food Pantry serving 800+ households monthly, 10,000+ square feet of Sankofa Gardens, and the Lower Ninth Ward Main Street Program, which is building toward a MainStreet Headquarters at 5200 St. Claude Avenue. The core 'technology' is an ecosystem-based community development methodology combining green infrastructure, food access, and economic revitalization rather than software, with outputs measured in acres restored, gallons of stormwater managed, households served, and small business corridor development.

The business model is a hybrid of earned and contributed revenue. Earned streams include Fresh Start Market retail transaction revenue (priced at a 30% discount to corporate chains, indicating thin margins and a social-pricing strategy) and SNAP application assistance. Contributed streams include individual donations, corporate sponsorships, institutional grants, and tree-sponsorship programs; a 2014 AstraZeneca grant of $150,000 is the only documented institutional funding event in the source material. Go-to-market is community-led and event-driven, reaching residents through the Wetland Park, Fresh Start Market, monthly food distributions, Second Saturday STEM programming, Bayou Fest, K20 commemorations, and a Green Team volunteer corps, supplemented by a website (sankofanola.org), an EveryAction email newsletter, and active Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn accounts. Customer segments are local residents, food-insecure households, seniors 60+, and youth/families, all concentrated in the Lower Ninth Ward and surrounding New Orleans neighborhoods. Headcount is reported as 1-10 employees, consistent with a small-staffed nonprofit relying heavily on volunteers, board governance, and community partners including Second Harvest Food Bank, ULI Louisiana, Main Street America, and Louisiana Master Naturalists.

Name

Sankofa Community Development Corporation

Legal name

Sankofa Community Development Corporation

Website

https://sankofanola.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2005

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Sankofa Community Development Corporation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2005 that operates an integrated community development ecosystem in New Orleans' Lower Ninth Ward, combining a 40-acre wetland park, a green grocery market, a food pantry serving 800+ households, urban gardens, and a Main Street revitalization program for local residents.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Development Services

NAICS

Community Food Services (624210), Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321), Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Water, Sanitation & Hygiene (WASH) (BPAGABAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Water, Sanitation & Hygiene (WASH) Solutions (BPAGALAI), WASH (Water, Sanitation & Hygiene) Organizations (HLAJAKAI)

Keywords

• Community development services
• Food assistance programs
• Urban wetland restoration
• Environmental education programming
• Main Street revitalization

Headquarters

HQ city

Nola

HQ country

Italy

HQ region

Europe

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Fresh Start Market Retail Sales: Green grocery retail operations offering fresh produce, seafood, and staple foods at 30% savings compared to corporate chains. Serves as the anchor for Main Street revitalization.
2. Food Assistance Programs: Operates food pantry serving 800+ households monthly, Senior Commodity Box program for residents 60+, and SNAP benefits assistance. Funded through partnerships with Second Harvest Food Bank and government programs.
3. Donations and Grants: Individual donations, corporate sponsorships, and institutional support for community development initiatives. Tree sponsorship programs and general fundraising.
4. Community Programs and Events: Educational workshops, STEM programs, volunteer activities, and community events that engage residents and demonstrate value of integrated approach.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Sankofa CDC is a community-led nonprofit that delivers integrated neighborhood programs from physical sites in the Lower Ninth Ward, including a 40-acre restored wetland park and nature trail with 8M-gallon stormwater capacity, a green-grocery Fresh Start Market, a monthly food pantry serving 800+ households, urban gardens, and the Lower Ninth Ward Main Street commercial-corridor revitalization program. Programming is funded through donations, grants, retail grocery sales, and partnership support, and is delivered directly to residents through on-site facilities, community events, and volunteer engagement.

Product overview

Sankofa Community Development Corporation operates as a community-led, ecosystem-driven organization offering an integrated portfolio of programs addressing environmental health, food access, and economic growth in New Orleans' Lower Ninth Ward. The core offerings include the Wetland Park & Nature Trail (40-acre restored wetland), the Fresh Start Market (green grocery eliminating food desert status), the Lower Nine Food Pantry (serving 800+ households), Sankofa Gardens (10,000+ sq ft of urban gardens), and the Main Street revitalization program. The organization functions as a unified ecosystem where these programs work together to address social determinants of health through environmental restoration, food security, and economic development.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Sankofa Wetland Park & Nature Trail: 40-acre restored wetland ecosystem with nature trails, kayaking, fishing, and STEM activities located at 6401 Florida Avenue, Open Daily with guided tours available.
• Sankofa Fresh Start Market
• Sankofa Lower Nine Food Pantry
• Sankofa Gardens
• Lower Ninth Ward Main Street Program

Products and services

• Sankofa Wetland Park & Nature Trail A 40-acre restored wetland ecosystem with nature trails offering environmental education, STEM activities, birdwatching, kayaking, and fishing for Lower Ninth Ward residents and the broader New Orleans community. Features capacity to store 8 million gallons of stormwater and serves as a living laboratory for green infrastructure, located at 6401 Florida Avenue and open daily with guided tours.
• Sankofa Fresh Start Market A green grocery retail space at 5029 St. Claude Avenue offering affordable, healthy produce, seafood, and staple foods to community members at approximately 30% savings versus corporate chains. Operates Monday-Saturday 9am-5pm, anchors the Lower Ninth Ward Main Street commercial corridor revitalization, and has eliminated a former USDA food desert designation.
• Sankofa Lower Nine Food Pantry A monthly food assistance program that distributes fresh produce and pantry staples to income-eligible households, serving 800+ households each month and including a Senior Commodity Box program for residents aged 60+ as well as homebound delivery options. Applications are accepted in English and Spanish; walk-ins are welcome.
• Sankofa Gardens Urban vegetable and pollinator gardens spanning 10,000+ square feet at 27 St. Claude Ct. and 2213 Tennessee St., featuring community garden plots, composting facilities, and irrigation systems that support local food production and STEM education. Open daily 8AM-4PM.
• Lower Ninth Ward Main Street Program A commercial corridor revitalization program using sustainable green infrastructure systems, including the Fresh Start Market as anchor tenant and an upcoming MainStreet Headquarters development, with Main Street America 2026 accreditation and Louisiana Main Street membership.

Quantifiable outcome

• 800+ households served by Sankofa Food Pantry with monthly fresh produce and pantry staples
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Main Street AmericacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAccredited member of Main Street America network, recognizing excellence in community development and revitalization. Provides framework and resources for Lower Ninth Ward Main Street Program development and commercial corridor revitalization efforts.
• Louisiana Main StreetcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerActive participant in statewide historic preservation and community revitalization program supporting Main Street methodology implementation in Louisiana.
• Second Harvest Food BankcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWeekly food deliveries to Sankofa Lower 9 Fresh Food Pantry supporting monthly food distribution to 800+ eligible households in the community.
• ULI LouisianacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTechnical Assistance Panel report completed for Sankofa and the Lower Ninth Ward, providing expert guidance on health-centered development and future planning.
• Sama StudiominorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for Easy Flow Yoga classes held monthly at Sankofa Wetland Park and Nature Trail, providing mental and physical wellness activities for community.
• Louisiana Master NaturalistsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership delivering Junior Girl Scout Badge workshops and nature education programs at Sankofa wetland and garden spaces.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Center for Sustainable Engagement and Development (CSED): A New Orleans Lower Ninth Ward-based nonprofit focused on environmental restoration, green infrastructure, and community development, directly comparable to Sankofa's wetland restoration and community resilience mission in the same geography.
• Main Street America (Louisiana Main Street Program): National accreditation body and network of which Sankofa's Lower Ninth Ward Main Street Program is an accredited member. Provides the framework and peer network for commercial corridor revitalization work that is core to Sankofa's mission.
• Lower Nine Coalition: Coalition of Lower Ninth Ward organizations working on post-Katrina community recovery and resilience. Sankofa is a constituent member, sharing the same geographic focus and integrated community development philosophy.
• Second Harvest Food Bank of Greater New Orleans and Acadiana: A core food-assistance partner of Sankofa's food pantry, providing weekly food deliveries. Operates the food distribution infrastructure that Sankofa's Lower Nine Food Pantry channels into the community.
• Rebuilding Together New Orleans: Affordable housing rehabilitation and community revitalization nonprofit in New Orleans. Operates with a comparable neighborhood-recovery model and volunteer-driven execution model.
• Wellspring Community Engagement Initiative: A community-based nonprofit operating food access, urban agriculture, and youth programs in New Orleans, with overlapping food-desert elimination and urban garden missions similar to Sankofa's Fresh Start Market and Gardens.
• Habitat for Humanity New Orleans: Community-based affordable housing and revitalization nonprofit operating in post-Katrina New Orleans. Shares the post-disaster neighborhood rebuilding and community development mandate with Sankofa.

Others

• New Orleans Food Policy Advisory Committee: Municipal-level food policy body coordinating food access and food justice initiatives across New Orleans. Provides ecosystem-level policy coordination relevant to Sankofa's food access work.
• Enterprise Community Partners:

Broad incumbents

• Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) New Orleans: A national community development financial institution with deep New Orleans operations. Provides capital, grants, and capacity building to neighborhood-level CDCs like Sankofa.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses2 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/SankofaNOLA
• Facebookfacebook.com/SankofaNOLA
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/sankofa-community-development-corporation
• Instagraminstagram.com/sankofanola504

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 Sankofa Community Development Corporation