Arlington EATS

What Arlington EATS does

Arlington EATS is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit food security organization headquartered at 117 Broadway in Arlington, Massachusetts, that provides free food assistance to Arlington residents experiencing food insecurity. The organization operates eight program lines: the EATS Market (a free weekly-choice food pantry), home delivery for medically frail residents, a satellite Mini Market at Drake Village (launching 2026), school-based snack and vacation/summer lunch programs, six emergency food closets across Arlington, the Arlington Farmers' Market, and the Fresh Bucks SNAP matching program. It distributes approximately 900,000 pounds of food in FY2024 (about 750,000 meals) and is on track for roughly 1,000,000 pounds in FY2025, serving approximately 30% of Arlington's food-insecure population across ~550 families per week. The organization was formed through the 2017 merger of the Arlington Food Pantry (founded 1991) and Arlington EATS, and operates from a permanent facility opened in November 2022.

The technology stack is built on PantrySoft for appointment scheduling and guest management, Better Impact (Volunteer Impact) for coordinating 120–150 weekly volunteer shifts, and a multilingual website supporting 20+ languages. Operations are delivered by a professional staff of eight — including Executive Director, Program Director, Development Director, Volunteer Manager, Community Food Access Manager, Market Manager, Operations Coordinator, and Community Liaison — supported by an extensive volunteer base and partnerships with the Greater Boston Food Bank (primary food supplier), Food Link, the Council on Aging, Arlington Public Schools, Housing Corporation of Arlington, and local farms.

Arlington EATS generates no revenue from service fees; all programs are provided free of charge to qualifying Arlington residents. The organization is funded through a diversified mix of individual donations, corporate sponsorships at $500–$20,000 tiers (supporting events such as Beats for EATS, Turkey Trot, and the Arlington Farmers' Market), foundation grants (including a $30,000 Cummings Foundation grant in 2023), and in-kind community food donations (which represent approximately 10% of food supply). Distribution occurs through six channels: the main EATS Market, the Drake Village Mini Market, home delivery, school programs, the Arlington Farmers' Market, and six emergency food closets across the town.

Name

Arlington EATS

Legal name

Arlington EATS

Website

https://arlingtoneats.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2017

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Arlington EATS is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that distributes free food to Arlington, Massachusetts residents experiencing food insecurity through a main market, home delivery, school programs, satellite locations, and emergency food closets, serving 550+ families weekly.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Arlington

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, Supply Chain, Others

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: Monetary donations from individuals via website, mail-in checks, and stock gifts. Tax-deductible 501(c)3 nonprofit.
2. Corporate Sponsorships: Sponsorship program with multiple tiers ($500-$20,000) supporting events including Beats for EATS, Turkey Trot, and Arlington Farmers' Market.
3. Foundation Grants: Grant funding from foundations such as Cummings Foundation. Community donations account for approximately 10% of food supply.
4. Community Food Donations: Community donates approximately 10% of food supply. Primary source for specialty items including gluten-free, peanut butter alternatives, and milk alternatives.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Arlington EATS operates a free, appointment-based food pantry (the EATS Market) and an integrated suite of food access programs for Arlington, MA residents. Guests shop weekly for fresh produce, meat, dairy, and shelf-stable items of their choosing, with home delivery available for those unable to shop in person, school-based snacks and summer/vacation lunches, a managed farmers' market with SNAP matching (Fresh Bucks), and emergency food closets distributed across the town. All services are provided free of charge with no income requirement beyond residency verification.

Product overview

Arlington EATS operates a multi-program food assistance ecosystem centered around the EATS Market (a free food pantry) at 117 Broadway. The organization provides direct food distribution through the main Market and a satellite Mini Market at Drake Village, home delivery for medically frail neighbors, school-based snack and meal programs, and community emergency food closets. Arlington EATS also manages the Arlington Farmers' Market and runs Fresh Bucks, a SNAP match program providing up to $15 weekly in vouchers for fresh produce. A Partnership Program extends food access through six partner agencies. All programs are provided free of charge to Arlington residents and are funded through community donations and grants.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• EATS Market Free appointment-based food pantry at 117 Broadway where Arlington residents in need can shop once weekly for fresh produce, meat, dairy, canned and shelf-stable foods. Shoppers personally select the foods they want with dignity and compassion. Open Mondays 2-7pm (2-4pm senior hours), Tuesdays 9am-12:30pm, Wednesdays 9am-12pm and 4-6pm, and Saturdays 9am-1pm.
• Home Delivery Home delivery service for Arlington residents who are medically frail, homebound, or otherwise unable to shop in person at the EATS Market. Available by referral; deliveries are made on Thursdays.
• School Snack Program Free healthy snacks distributed to students at all Arlington Public Schools during the school day to prevent childhood hunger. Approximately 48,000 snacks distributed annually.
• Vacation and Summer Lunch Program Free meal support during school breaks (February and April vacation weeks plus six weeks in summer from June 25 to August 7) for families who rely on school meals. Provided 394 visits and 6,200 meals in the most recent program year.
• Arlington Farmers' Market Weekly farmers' market managed by Arlington EATS bringing fresh locally-grown and produced foods to the community. Accepts SNAP, HIP, Fresh Bucks, and FMNP benefits. Features local farms including Busa Farm, Dick's Market Garden, Kimball Fruit Farms, and Nicewicz Family Farms.
• Fresh Bucks SNAP Match Program SNAP match program at the Arlington Farmers' Market providing up to $15 weekly in Fresh Bucks vouchers that match SNAP purchases to increase access to fresh, locally-grown produce. 406 households participated; 41% do not use other EATS programs.
• Mini Market at Drake Village Satellite food pantry market serving residents of the Drake Village affordable housing complex in Arlington. Drake Village residents can shop once weekly at either the main EATS Market or the Mini Market by appointment.
• Emergency Food Closets Six emergency food closet locations across Arlington providing distributed food access points. Approximately 3,100 pounds of food distributed through this program, offering immediate no-appointment-required food assistance.
• Partnership Program Supplemental food support provided to six partner agencies, distributing approximately $19,650 worth of food to extend the organization's reach into the community through aligned partner organizations.

Quantifiable outcome

• 900,000 pounds of food distributed annually (FY2024)
• +4 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

Integration6 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core, support and major.

• Greater Boston Food BankcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrimary food supplier for Arlington EATS. EATS receives regular food deliveries from GBFB (Mondays and alternate Wednesdays). GBFB is one of the largest food banks in the Northeast.
• Food LinkcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFood recovery organization delivering food to 30 partner agencies including Arlington EATS. Organizations shared space for four years on Broadway.
• Council on AgingcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvides free van transportation for Arlington seniors (60+) to Arlington EATS. Books both rides and shopping appointments for seniors.
• Project BreadsupportChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorStatewide food security organization. Provides SNAP application assistance and connects residents to food resources through hotline (800-645-8333).
• Housing Corporation of ArlingtonmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDeveloped the 4-story building at 117 Broadway that houses Arlington EATS headquarters. Provided permanent facility opened November 2022.
• Arlington Farmers' Market Vendors (Busa Farm, Dick's Market Garden, Kimball Fruit Farms, Nicewicz Family Farms)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorLocal farms participating in Arlington Farmers' Market. Accept SNAP, HIP, and Fresh Bucks. Essential partners for Fresh Bucks program.
• Covenant ChurchsupportChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCovenant Church in Arlington Heights provides 24/7 donation drop-off location for non-perishable items.
• Arlington Public SchoolscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to provide free snacks in all 10 schools and vacation/summer lunch programs for students.
• Various Churches and NonprofitssupportStrategic or Co-development PartnerOriginal founding coalition included group of churches and nonprofits who met in 2014 to discuss food needs in Arlington. Multiple churches provide space and support.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Feeding America: National network of food banks including GBFB; sets the broader US food bank operating framework and resources that hyperlocal pantries like Arlington EATS plug into via upstream supply.
• Greater Boston Food Bank: One of the largest food banks in the Northeast and EATS' primary food supplier. Operates the upstream regional food bank model that EATS draws from, serving a far larger geographic footprint.
• The Greater Boston Food Bank's Brown Bag Program: GBFB's direct-distribution program that distributes free groceries to seniors and families across Greater Boston — overlapping service population with EATS at a regional scale.

Direct peers

• Boston Area Gleaners: Greater Boston food rescue and fresh produce distribution organization. Similar nonprofit food access mission focused on farm surplus recovery and food insecure populations.
• Lovin' Spoonfuls: Boston-based food rescue nonprofit that retrieves surplus food from restaurants and vendors and delivers to pantries including ones comparable to EATS. Similar volunteer-driven food recovery model.
• Lexington Food Pantry: Free community food pantry serving Lexington, MA — a neighboring suburb with a similar affluent-but-food-insecure demographic. Comparable choice-based shopping model and resident-only service delivery.
• Brookline Food Pantry: Free food pantry serving Brookline, MA residents. Comparable suburban Boston community food security model with client-choice shopping and volunteer-driven operations.
• Cambridge Food Pantry Network: Network of food pantries serving Cambridge, MA residents. Operates similar free grocery distribution model with multiple distribution sites and community partnerships in an adjacent Greater Boston community.
• Food Link: Food recovery organization delivering recovered food to 30 partner agencies in Greater Boston including Arlington EATS. Comparable size and mission; previously shared space with EATS on Broadway.

Regional players

• Project Bread: Massachusetts statewide food security organization operating a hotline that refers residents to local pantries like EATS. Complementary role at a regional/state level rather than direct hyperlocal competition.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/Arlington.EATS
• Instagraminstagram.com/arlington_eats

Compliance2 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 Arlington EATS