Thursday Noon Luncheon Club

What Thursday Noon Luncheon Club does

The Thursday Noon Luncheon Club is a private civic and social membership organization based in Columbus, Ohio, operating continuous weekly Thursday luncheon meetings at the Eldon & Elsie Ward Family YMCA (130 Woodland Avenue, Columbus, OH 43203). Founded in 1943 and organized in its current form at the old Spring Street YMCA in 1946 — patterned after the St. Louis YMCA's Honorary Club — the organization has served the African American community in Columbus for over 80 years and was described on its own homepage as "one of the best kept secrets in Columbus, Ohio." Membership consists of approximately 18 to 25 active members (historically ranging from a low of 8 to a high of 22-25), composed of civic leaders, business owners, community activists, and influential professionals, with weekly speakers drawn from local government, business, and community organizations.

The Club's offering is a recurring in-person community forum rather than a productized service: it delivers weekly luncheons featuring speakers, advocacy for equitable education and public accountability, and networking among influential members. Catering is provided by Kikida Layda's LLC (Kahlil A. Kendrick). There is no proprietary technology platform; digital presence is limited to a WordPress website (thursdaynoonluncheonclub.org) with event listings, a member inquiry form, and an email newsletter. The business model is straightforward subscription/membership-based: annual dues of $20 per member per year grant access to the weekly programming, with the relationship to the YMCA functioning as a long-standing in-kind venue partnership rather than a commercial lease.

From a commercial-investment perspective, the entity is not a venture-backable business: there are no funding rounds, no M&A activity, no parent company, no institutional investors, and no disclosed financial statements. Its value is social, civic, and reputational rather than financial. Revenue is effectively limited to membership dues ($360-$500 annually at current scale) and any ancillary donations, with the operation sustained by volunteer governance, member commitment, and the YMCA partnership spanning more than 60 years.

Name

Thursday Noon Luncheon Club

Legal name

Thursday Noon Luncheon Club

Website

https://thursdaynoonluncheonclub.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1943

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Thursday Noon Luncheon Club is a private civic membership organization in Columbus, Ohio, hosting weekly Thursday luncheons at the Eldon & Elsie Ward Family YMCA for approximately 18-25 African American community leaders, civic activists, and business professionals, operating continuously since 1943 on $20 annual membership dues.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Columbus

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Marketing or Sales, Personnel, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: Annual membership fees providing access to weekly luncheon meetings, speaker events, and community networking opportunities

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

The Thursday Noon Luncheon Club is a private civic and social membership organization that hosts weekly Thursday noon luncheon meetings featuring community leaders, elected officials, and subject matter experts as speakers. Members pay annual dues to attend these gatherings, network with influential community figures, and participate in discussions about local issues affecting the African American community in Columbus, Ohio. The organization has been continuously serving the Black community in Columbus since 1943, with meetings currently held at the Eldon & Elsie Ward Family YMCA.

Product overview

The Thursday Noon Luncheon Club is a single community-focused civic organization offering weekly member meetings, speaker events, and community gatherings at the Eldon & Elsie Ward YMCA in Columbus, Ohio. The organization has been serving the Black community since 1943, providing a forum for discussion of community issues, advocacy, and social connection among influential community members.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Weekly Thursday Luncheon Meetings Recurring weekly Thursday noon luncheon meetings held at the Eldon & Elsie Ward Family YMCA in Columbus, Ohio, where members gather for catered meals and civic discussions. Available to dues-paying members of the Thursday Noon Luncheon Club and targeted at African American community leaders, business professionals, activists, and civic influencers in Columbus.
• Speaker and Member Meeting Events Scheduled speaker events and member meetings featuring city officials, business leaders, and subject matter experts who address community issues affecting the African American community in Columbus. Open to Thursday Noon Luncheon Club members as part of their annual membership.

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Eldon & Elsie Ward Family YMCAcoreOthers · 1 January 1946Long-standing partnership with the Eldon & Elsie Ward Family YMCA where weekly luncheon meetings are held. The organization has made historical contributions to the YMCA including VCRs, videotape players, kitchen stove, youth memberships, and donations for remodeling.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves3 records

Direct peers

• The Links, Incorporated: National civic service organization of professional African American women. Comparable in serving as a private, dues-supported civic network advancing community issues through programming and advocacy.
• Columbus Urban League: Civic and social services organization serving African Americans in Columbus. Comparable mission around community advocacy, equitable education, and economic empowerment for the same target population.
• 100 Black Men of America: National membership organization of African American male professionals focused on mentoring, education, and civic engagement. Comparable as a curated membership forum for influential community leaders.
• NAACP Columbus Branch: Local civic advocacy chapter focused on the African American community in Columbus, Ohio. Highly comparable as a membership-based organization addressing overlapping issues of equity, education, and public accountability.

Broad incumbents

• Kiwanis Club of Columbus: Local civic service club holding regular luncheon meetings. Comparable membership-based civic engagement format, though broader in demographic focus and programmatic scope.
• Rotary Club of Columbus: Local chapter of a global membership civic service organization holding regular luncheon meetings with speakers. Comparable weekly-meeting, dues-supported civic club format, though not race-specific.
• National Council of Negro Women: Established national civic organization advancing African American women and families. Comparable civic advocacy orientation and community convening role, though larger and more programmatic.

Regional players

• Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity - Columbus Chapters: African American Greek-letter fraternity with Columbus-area chapters focused on civic engagement, scholarship, and community service. Comparable mission around African American civic leadership development.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks4 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/thursday-noon-lunch-club

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 Thursday Noon Luncheon Club