What Grey Bears does

Grey Bears is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 1973 in Santa Cruz, California, that addresses senior food insecurity, social isolation, and environmental sustainability through an integrated portfolio of community programs. Its core offering, the Healthy Food Program, delivers weekly grocery bags to 4,200 senior households via 72 driver routes and 42 pickup sites, operates a free daily on-site food market, and serves 200-300 hot lunches daily at its Chanticleer Avenue campus. In 2023-2024, the program delivered 197,770 Healthy Food Bags and diverted 2,020,693 pounds of food from landfills, sourced from 25+ grocery store, farm, and bakery partners including Costco, Whole Foods, Trader Joes, Safeway, New Leaf, and Lakeside Organic Gardens.

The organization's revenue model is unusually diversified for a nonprofit. An award-winning Thrift Store (with embedded Computer Electronics Store, Bookshop, and the 4,000 sq ft Capitola Book Den in Capitola Mall) generates approximately 27% of annual revenue from resale of donated goods. Recycling operations across three centers, individual donations (one-time and monthly recurring), foundation and corporate grants, government contracts with Santa Cruz County and the City of Santa Cruz, vehicle donations via CARS partnership, and compost sales ($10/25 lb bag) round out the funding base. No proprietary technology platform underpins operations; the model runs on volunteer labor (759 volunteers contributing 70,000+ hours valued at $2M+ annually in 2024, with 67% of volunteers being seniors themselves), physical logistics, and 50+ years of community embeddedness.

Grey Bears is currently executing a Capital Campaign to fund the Kristina Mailliard Center for Healthy Seniors, a facility expansion intended to double interior space with a modern warehouse, state-of-the-art kitchen, indoor refrigeration, and indoor market. The organization is governed by a Board of Directors and led since 2022 by Executive Director Jennifer Merchant. In 2023, it tightened its recycling program (discontinuing mixed paper, styrofoam, cardboard, appliances, and commercial loads), and will exit two of three county-operated recycling sites effective January 1, 2026, reflecting a strategic refocus on its core senior nutrition mission.

Name

Grey Bears

Legal name

Grey Bears

Website

https://greybears.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1973

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Grey Bears is a Santa Cruz County, California-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1973 that delivers weekly grocery bags, daily meals, and food rescue services to 8,000+ seniors monthly, funded primarily through an award-winning thrift store, recycling operations, and individual donations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Santa Cruz

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Thrift Store Sales: Revenue from the sale of donated household items, clothing, furniture, electronics, books, and other goods at the Grey Bears Thrift Store. The thrift store is described as 'Award-Winning' and is a reader's choice winner. Second only to in-kind food donations, thrift store revenue represents approximately 27% of annual revenue.
2. Recycling Revenue: Revenue from the sale of recycled materials including aluminum cans, CRV plastic/glass containers, scrap metal, e-waste processing fees, and other recyclable materials. Grey Bears operates three recycling centers. However, the organization notes that recycling market changes have made this revenue stream increasingly difficult, with cardboard generating $40/ton while costing $130/ton to process.
3. Individual Donations: One-time and recurring donations from individuals. Grey Bears offers a monthly giving program ('Give Monthly') as well as one-time donations. Donors can give online, by mail (check), wire transfer, ACH transfer, or through a Qualified Charitable Distribution (QCD). Pledges of $5,000+ can be made over one or two years.
4. Vehicle Donations: Grey Bears partners with CARS (Charitable Adult Rides & Senior Auto) to accept vehicle donations including cars, trucks, trailers, boats, RVs, motorcycles, campers, off-road vehicles, planes, heavy equipment, and farm machinery (running or not). Proceeds support the Healthy Food Program.
5. Government Grants and Contracts: Grey Bears operates under contracts with Santa Cruz County and the City of Santa Cruz to manage recycling centers. The organization also receives government funding through its Older Adult Services relationship with the City of Watsonville and the Seniors Council / Area Agency on Aging of Santa Cruz & San Benito Counties.
6. Foundation and Corporate Grants: Grey Bears receives grants from foundations and corporate sponsors. The capital campaign targets major donor foundations and corporate partners. The Community Foundation of Santa Cruz County is noted as a supporter. Sponsorship opportunities are offered to businesses.
7. Compost Sales: Grey Bears sells compost produced from food scraps in 25-pound bags for $10 at the Thrift Store. The organization operates six Earth Tubs producing 25 tons of high-quality compost annually, as well as a worm composting demonstration program led by Marla King offering worms for a $10 donation.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels8 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

Grey Bears is a nonprofit organization that provides weekly healthy food bags, on-site food market distribution, and daily hot lunches to seniors aged 55+ in Santa Cruz County, supported by grocery rescue and farm gleaning from 25+ local partners. Revenue to fund these programs is generated through an award-winning thrift store, three recycling drop-off centers, a composting program, and individual/corporate donations, with 67% of its 759+ volunteers being seniors themselves.

Product overview

Grey Bears is a nonprofit organization operating multiple interconnected programs focused on senior nutrition and community sustainability. The core offering is the Healthy Food Program, which encompasses three delivery channels: weekly Healthy Food Bag delivery to senior households, the free Onsite Food Distribution Market, and daily Congregate Lunch meals. These food programs are sustained through Grocery Rescue and Gleaning operations that recover produce from 25+ local grocery stores, farms, and bakeries. Revenue-generating programs include the Award-Winning Thrift Store with its Computer Electronics Store and Bookshop (including an Amazon.com storefront and the Capitola Book Den), along with Reuse & Recycling Programs at three locations and a Composting operation. Community engagement is supported through Repair Café events and Classes including yoga, Spanish, and women's groups. The Capital Campaign is funding the Kristina Mailliard Center for Healthy Seniors to expand facilities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Grey Bears Capitola Book Den: A 4,000 square foot bookstore located in the center of the Capitola Mall, accepting donations of books, CDs, DVDs, games, and puzzles. Part of Grey Bears' reuse and thrift operations.

Products and services

• Healthy Food Program A comprehensive food assistance program delivering weekly grocery bags of fresh produce and healthy staples to seniors aged 55+ in Santa Cruz County through grocery rescue, gleaning from farms, and food recovery from local grocery stores.
• Healthy Food Bag Delivery Weekly grocery bag delivery to senior households via 72 driver routes and 42 pickup sites across Santa Cruz County, including home delivery to 1,200+ homebound disabled seniors aged 50+; distributed 48 weeks per year.
• On-Site Food Market Free daily food market open Monday-Friday at 11am at the Chanticleer campus, offering rescued produce, proteins, and baked goods to seniors and community members at no cost.
• Grey Bears Lunch (Congregate Hot Meals) Daily hot congregate lunch served Monday-Friday at 11:30am at the Chanticleer campus, serving 200-300 seniors with fresh salads, sandwiches, and rotating hot entrees made from donated food; 58,622 hot meals served in 2023-2024.
• Grocery Rescue and Gleaning Food rescue program sourcing short-dated and imperfect foods from 25+ local grocery stores, farms, and bakeries (including Costco, Trader Joe's, Whole Foods, Safeway, Nob Hill, New Leaf, Lakeside Organic Gardens) to redistribute to seniors and divert from landfills.
• Grey Bears Thrift Store Award-winning thrift store offering gently used clothing, furniture, household items, electronics, and books at affordable prices, open daily 10am-4:30pm at 2710 Chanticleer Avenue; thrift store revenue is approximately 27% of annual revenue and supports the Healthy Food Program.
• Computer Electronics Store Retail outlet selling refurbished computers, laptops, tablets, electronics, and peripherals; volunteers disassemble and recycle e-waste or refurbish items for resale.
• Grey Bears Capitola Book Den 4,000 square foot bookstore located in the center of the Capitola Mall, accepting donations of books, DVDs, CDs, games, and puzzles with pickup service available.
• Reuse & Recycling Programs Three recycling centers diverting materials from landfills, including glass, plastics, aluminum, scrap metal, and e-waste; operated at Chanticleer campus, Buena Vista Landfill, and Ben Lomond Transfer Station under contract with Santa Cruz County; 411 tons recycled in 2023-2024.
• Electronics Recycling (E-Waste) Free e-waste recycling accepting computers, printers, TVs, monitors, cell phones, and other electronics; volunteers refurbish working items for sale or responsibly recycle components.
• Composting Program Compost program operating six Earth Tubs producing 25 tons of high-quality compost annually from food scraps, sold in 25-pound bags for $10 at the Thrift Store, plus a worm composting demonstration site led by Marla King.
• Repair Café Community repair events where volunteers help community members fix broken household items, extending product life, reducing waste, and teaching repair skills.
• Classes & Events for Seniors Educational and social programming for seniors including Spanish class, women's support groups, and chair yoga with Suzi offered in-person and via Zoom on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays at 9:30am.
• Kristina Mailliard Center for Healthy Seniors (Capital Campaign) Capital campaign to build a modern facility with updated warehouse, state-of-the-art kitchen, indoor refrigeration, and indoor market to double interior space and improve food distribution capabilities; supports pledges and major gifts.

Quantifiable outcome

• 2,020,693 pounds of food diverted from landfills to seniors' plates in 2023-2024
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

Partnerships

19 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Buttery BakerycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal bakery that donates food to Grey Bears' gleaning and grocery rescue program, helping divert bakery products from landfills to seniors in need.
• BagelrycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal bagel shop that donates surplus food to Grey Bears' grocery rescue program.
• Beckmanns BakerycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal bakery partner donating food to Grey Bears' grocery rescue program.
• Costco WholesalecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational warehouse retailer with a local Santa Cruz presence that donates surplus food to Grey Bears' gleaning program.
• Grocery OutletcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional grocery chain donating surplus and short-dated food to Grey Bears' grocery rescue program.
• Lakeside Organic GardenscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal organic farm owned by Dick Peixoto that supplies fresh organic vegetables to Grey Bears. Described as a key partner with a shared commitment to improving health and well-being in the community.
• New LeafcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal natural foods grocery store donating surplus food to Grey Bears' grocery rescue program.
• Nob Hill FoodscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional grocery chain donating surplus food to Grey Bears' grocery rescue program.
• SafewaycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational grocery chain with local Santa Cruz stores donating surplus food to Grey Bears' grocery rescue program.
• Trader JoescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational grocery chain donating surplus and short-dated food to Grey Bears' grocery rescue program.
• Whole Foods MarketcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational natural foods grocery chain donating surplus food to Grey Bears' grocery rescue program.
• Food Bank of Monterey County (formerly Ag Against Hunger)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIn 2019, Ag Against Hunger (which had been a founding member supplying produce to Grey Bears since 1992) merged with the Food Bank of Monterey County, which now provides 600,000+ pounds of fresh produce annually to Grey Bears.
• Second Harvest Food Bank of Santa Cruz CountycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerErica Padilla-Chavez, CEO of Second Harvest Food Bank Santa Cruz County, is quoted in support of Grey Bears' capital campaign, noting that Second Harvest relies on a network of dedicated partners like Grey Bears to provide nourishment to the community.
• Seniors Council / Area Agency on Aging of Santa Cruz & San Benito CountiescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Seniors Council, led by Clay Kempf, has partnered with Grey Bears in multiple initiatives over many decades. The Area Agency on Aging provides oversight and funding for senior services in the region, with Grey Bears as a key partner in delivering food to seniors.
• Community Foundation of Santa Cruz CountycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSusan True, CEO of the Community Foundation of Santa Cruz County, expressed support for Grey Bears' capital campaign, stating the Foundation is proud to stand with Grey Bears in building a future where every senior can thrive.
• CARS (Charitable Adult Rides & Senior Auto)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCARS is a vehicle donation processing partner that accepts donations of vehicles (cars, trucks, trailers, boats, RVs, motorcycles, etc.) on behalf of Grey Bears. Donors can visit careasy.org/grey-bears or call 855-500-7433 to donate.
• Bogard ConstructionminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerGrey Bears is working with Bogard Construction to develop plans for the Kristina Mailliard Center for Healthy Seniors capital project, including submittal to Santa Cruz County for permit approvals for facility modernization.
• Santa Cruz County and City of Santa CruzcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGrey Bears operates recycling centers under contract with Santa Cruz County and the City of Santa Cruz. County and cities of Santa Cruz, Watsonville, and Capitola help fund Chanticleer e-waste processing. A new 4-year contract was signed for operation of Buena Vista Landfill and Ben Lomond Transfer Station recycling centers.
• City of Watsonville (Older Adult Services)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKatie Nunez, Older Adult Services Supervisor at the City of Watsonville, describes Grey Bears' Healthy Grocery Bag program as a lifeline for seniors, with the City partnering to ensure older adults can age with dignity, good health, and connection.

Scale indicators14 records

Recent moves13 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Goodwill Industries International: National nonprofit operating thrift/retail stores that fund workforce-development and community programs; directly comparable social-enterprise thrift model that generates earned revenue to subsidize mission activities, though Goodwill's mission focus is employment rather than senior food assistance.
• Meals on Wheels America: National umbrella organization supporting 5,000+ local programs delivering meals to seniors; directly comparable target population (homebound and low-income seniors) and last-mile distribution model, but operates at vastly larger scale and focuses on meal delivery rather than grocery rescue.
• Feeding America: National network of 200+ food banks including Second Harvest Santa Cruz; comparable grocery-rescue and food-distribution model but at much larger scale and without Grey Bears' thrift-store and senior-volunteer integration.
• Los Angeles Regional Food Bank: Large California food bank operating grocery rescue, senior-specific programs, and pantries; directly comparable mission and operating model, but serves a much larger geography with a more centralized distribution approach.

Emerging players

• Habitat for Humanity ReStore: Network of nonprofit home-furnishings thrift stores whose revenue funds housing programs; analogous social-enterprise retail model that converts donated goods into mission funding — the same economic logic Grey Bears uses to cross-subsidize its Healthy Food Program.
• Martha's Table: Washington D.C.-area nonprofit that combines healthy food distribution, thrift/wardrobe programs, and earned-revenue ventures (the Martha's Market social enterprise) to serve low-income families and seniors — one of the closest integrated-model peers to Grey Bears outside California.

Direct peers

• Second Harvest Food Bank of Santa Cruz County: Primary food-distribution partner of Grey Bears, this regional food bank distributes food to a partner network across Santa Cruz County. Directly comparable operating model (food rescue, gleaning, senior-focused distribution) and geographic footprint, and Grey Bears explicitly functions as one of Second Harvest's distribution partners.
• St. Anthony Foundation (San Francisco): San Francisco-based nonprofit combining a free clothing program, dining room, and social services in an integrated model — operates a thrift/social enterprise hybrid alongside direct-service programs much like Grey Bears' thrift-store-plus-food-program architecture.
• Daily Bread Food Bank (Toronto): Regional food bank serving a metropolitan area with grocery rescue, partner-agency distribution, and senior-targeted programs; comparable operating scope to Grey Bears though geographically larger.
• Food Bank of Monterey County: Provides 600,000+ lbs/yr of fresh produce to Grey Bears and absorbs the former Ag Against Hunger program; operates produce gleaning, food rescue, and county-wide distribution in an adjacent California region. Closest operating-model peer in terms of farm-gleaning and grocery rescue combined with senior service.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks1 record

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/ca_greybears
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCTxIUJqut2F7xKDeDKIANYg
• Facebookfacebook.com/greybears.org
• Instagraminstagram.com/greybearssantacruz
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/california-grey-bears

Compliance6 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles13 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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 Grey Bears