Loaves & Fishes

What Loaves & Fishes does

Loaves & Fishes Food Pantry, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization founded in 1983 and headquartered at 234 Barnum Road in Devens, Massachusetts. Its core mission is to provide nutritious food, in an atmosphere of kindness and respect, to individuals in need residing in seven north-central Massachusetts communities: Ayer, Devens, Dunstable, Groton, Harvard, Littleton, and Shirley. The organization operates a drive-thru open pantry as its primary distribution channel, supplemented by a client-choice system and an online ordering platform that allows clients to select groceries remotely for volunteer-packed pick-up, reducing waste and increasing dignity of service. It also runs targeted programs including Summer Kid Bags and the Neighborhood Food Project, supported by 400+ volunteers and a small paid staff led by Executive Director Patricia A. Stern.

The business model is grant- and donation-funded rather than revenue-generating. Services are provided free of charge with no income requirements; funding flows from individual donors, corporate sponsors (Alltown Fresh, Cisco Systems, Laddawn, Main Street Bank, Nashoba Valley Medical Center), foundation and institutional partners (United Way of North Central Massachusetts at Platinum tier, Greater Boston Food Bank as primary bulk supplier), and farm partners that donate produce (Boston Area Gleaners, Gaining Ground, Community Harvest Project, Garden at Church Meadows). In FY2024 the pantry served 1,046 households (3,076 individuals) and distributed 1,257,200 pounds of groceries. Beyond direct service, Loaves & Fishes acts as a regional logistics node by trucking food from Greater Boston Food Bank to six partner pantries in Acton, Bedford, Pepperell, Townsend, and Medway, extending its operational footprint well beyond its own client base.

Name

Loaves & Fishes

Legal name

Loaves & Fishes Food Pantry, Inc.

Website

https://loavesfishespantry.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1983

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Loaves & Fishes Food Pantry is a 501(c)(3) non-profit in Devens, Massachusetts that distributes free groceries via a drive-thru and online ordering system to residents of seven north-central Massachusetts communities, serving over 3,000 individuals annually.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Devens

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Donations and Grants: As a 501(c)(3) non-profit, Loaves & Fishes is funded through donations from individuals, businesses, and organizations, plus grants from foundations and government programs

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Loaves & Fishes is a 501(c)(3) non-profit food pantry providing free groceries to individuals and families in need in seven north-central Massachusetts communities. Service is delivered through a drive-thru open pantry with a client-choice system and an online ordering platform, allowing residents to receive nutritious food up to twice monthly without income requirements.

Product overview

Loaves & Fishes operates as a food pantry offering a drive-thru open pantry as its core distribution service, supplemented by an online ordering system for client convenience. The organization runs seasonal programs including Summer Kid Bags and the Neighborhood Food Project collection initiative. Clients can receive groceries up to twice monthly through a client-choice system where they select their own items, providing nutritious food in an atmosphere of kindness and respect.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Drive-Thru Open Pantry A drive-thru food distribution service where clients remain in their vehicles and receive free groceries through a client-choice system. Operates on a regular schedule (Wednesdays and Fridays 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., 1st Tuesday 4-7 p.m., 3rd Saturday 9 a.m. to 12 p.m.) for residents of Ayer, Devens, Dunstable, Groton, Harvard, Littleton, and Shirley. No income requirements to receive assistance.
• Online Ordering System A web-based ordering system that lets clients select food and personal care items online. Volunteers pack the requested items for drive-thru pickup, reducing waste and giving clients the items they prefer. Launched as an addition to the pantry's existing service.
• Summer Kid Bags Special food bags distributed during summer months containing kid-friendly foods to supplement meals when school is not in session. Distributed through August to help families facing food insecurity during school breaks.
• Neighborhood Food Project A neighborhood-based food collection program where community members can sponsor bags or support marketing materials. The Groton Neighborhood Food Project delivered over 5,500 pounds of food including Ensure and Glucerna.

Quantifiable outcome

• Served 1,046 households (3,076 individuals) with 1,257,200 pounds of groceries in FY2024
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Feature1 record

Partnerships

16 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Greater Boston Food BankcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMajor food supplier partner that provides bulk food supplies to the pantry. When Loaves & Fishes truck was in the shop, Greater Boston Food Bank shuffled their schedule to accommodate pickup for Loaves & Fishes and five partner pantries.
• United Way of North Central MassachusettscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPlatinum-level partner supporting the pantry's operations and programs.
• Boston Area GleanerscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvided 13,133 pounds of produce in one season. Summer produce donations have totaled nearly 45,000 pounds across multiple years.
• Gaining GroundcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerConcord-based farm that provides free, sustainably grown fresh organic produce. Has donated over 41,000 pounds of produce to Loaves & Fishes since 2010.
• Garden at Church MeadowsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLittleton garden that donates all harvested produce to the pantry.
• KAM Fitness and NutritionminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOrganizes annual Plank-a-thon fundraiser, raising over $20,000 over 12 years for the pantry.
• Alltown FreshcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMajor supporter that hosted sandwich and register fundraiser raising over $10,000 - their biggest fundraiser for the pantry.
• Cisco SystemscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCorporate volunteer partner that assists with annual inventory days and other volunteer activities. Has been volunteering with the pantry for many years.
• Greater Boston Food Bank (Trucking Partner)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLoaves & Fishes provides trucking service to six other pantries (Acton, Bedford, Pepperell, Townsend, and two Medway pantries) using their own truck.
• Neighborhood Food ProjectcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity-based food collection program. Costs $12,000 to $20,000 per year to operate. Groton Neighborhood Food Project delivered over 5,500 pounds of food including Ensure and Glucerna.
• Lura A. White SchoolminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerStudents at the Shirley school created chain reactions with cereal boxes and donated over 500 boxes, demonstrating youth engagement in food drives.
• Nashoba Valley Medical CentercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHosts annual Hunger Run 5K fundraiser that raised over $7,000 for the pantry in 2023. Has hosted 9 consecutive events.
• Laddawn (Berry Global Company)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDevens-based company provides plastic bags for produce and protein packaging, financial support, sponsors 5K events, and donates printed bags for annual Postal Worker Food Drive. Also shares excess inventory with six partner pantries.
• United WaycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFeatured on United Way website and materials as a partner organization.
• Main Street BankminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal bank continues tradition of supporting the pantry with sizeable donations.
• Community Harvest ProjectminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGrafton and Harvard farm that donates produce to the pantry.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Greater Boston Food Bank: Regional food bank and Loaves & Fishes' primary bulk food supplier. Directly comparable as a hunger-relief organization distributing food to households in need across eastern Massachusetts via a network of partner pantries.
• Community Harvest Project: Grafton and Harvard-based farm that grows and donates produce to hunger-relief organizations including Loaves & Fishes. Comparable in the local food-rescue and produce-donation model.
• Worcester County Food Bank: Regional food bank serving central Massachusetts with a similar model of sourcing and distributing food through partner pantries. Comparable mission, donor base, and operating model in adjacent geography.
• Community Servings: Massachusetts-based nonprofit providing medically tailored meals and food to individuals and families facing critical illness and food insecurity. Comparable mission of food assistance with dignity, though with a specialized health-focused client base.
• Food Bank of Western Massachusetts: Regional food bank serving western Massachusetts with a comparable pantry-distribution model. Same category of organization addressing food insecurity through member pantries and direct distribution.
• Merrimack Valley Food Bank: Regional food bank serving northeastern Massachusetts. Comparable mission and operating model, distributing food to households in need through partner pantries in a similar geographic tier.
• Open Table: Community food pantry serving Maynard and surrounding towns in Massachusetts. Comparable hyper-local food pantry model with client-choice distribution, no income requirements, and volunteer-driven operations.
• Boston Area Gleaners: Food rescue organization that gleans surplus produce from Massachusetts farms and distributes it to hunger-relief partners including Loaves & Fishes. Comparable in the hunger-relief supply chain and active partner.

Broad incumbents

• Feeding America: National umbrella network of food banks and pantries. The Greater Boston Food Bank is a Feeding America member, indirectly connecting Loaves & Fishes to the broader national hunger-relief system. Broad incumbent setting sector standards and supply-chain coordination.

Emerging players

• Project Bread: Massachusetts statewide anti-hunger organization providing direct food assistance and advocacy. Comparable mission and donor base, though more focused on state-level coordination and direct client grants than physical pantry operations.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/LoavesFish
• Facebookfacebook.com/loavesfishespantry
• Instagraminstagram.com/loaves.fishes.pantry
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/loaves-fishes-food-pantry-devens

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 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 Loaves & Fishes