Haight Ashbury Food Program

What Haight Ashbury Food Program does

Haight Ashbury Food Program is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit (EIN 94-2970899) founded in 1983 in San Francisco's Haight-Ashbury neighborhood as a volunteer-driven response to local hunger. Its core operation is a weekly food pantry held every Saturday from 11:30am to 1:15pm at 1525 Waller Street, serving 200+ families and 300+ people per session on a no-ID, open-access basis. The organization has distributed over 1 million meals cumulatively since inception, with current operations supported by a small paid staff supplemented by a rotating volunteer base.

The business model relies on three revenue streams: individual donations, foundation and corporate grants, and substantial in-kind food contributions. The supply model is built on a core partnership with the SF-Marin Food Bank as the primary food source, supplemented by Food Runners (which rescues over 20,000 meals weekly from local restaurants and grocers) and recurring grocery partners including Mollie Stone's, Trader Joe's, Luke's Local, and Gus's Community Market. Beyond the Saturday pantry, the organization operates street outreach to homeless individuals, bulk food distribution in the Mission District for undocumented immigrants, direct delivery to social service sites and senior living facilities, and the cross-cultural "Food is Love" program serving the Pyramid Lake Paiute Reservation.

The organization runs several distinct programs: the Food Pantry, Food is Love (Paiute Reservation outreach), a Volunteer Program offering regular Saturday roles plus food rescue and grocery bagging shifts, and Donation Services handling both monetary and in-kind contributions. Volunteer translation services in Cantonese, Russian, and Spanish extend reach into non-English-speaking populations. There is no proprietary technology platform; operations are coordinated through a basic website, newsletter, and direct volunteer coordination.

Name

Haight Ashbury Food Program

Legal name

Haight Ashbury Food Program

Website

https://thefoodprogram.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1983

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Founded in 1983, Haight Ashbury Food Program is a San Francisco-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit operating a weekly Saturday food pantry at 1525 Waller Street that serves 200+ families and 300+ people weekly through volunteer-driven food redistribution, in-kind donations, and partnerships with local grocers and the SF-Marin Food Bank.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Food Pantry & Hunger Relief Services

NAICS

Community Food Services (62421)

akta.pro primary industry

Food Assistance & Food Banks (BPAGAEAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Food Assistance & Nutrition Relief (Emergency Feeding) (BPAGAAAD)

Keywords

• Community food pantry
• Food insecurity services
• Hunger relief program
• Food rescue redistribution
• Volunteer food distribution

Headquarters

HQ city

San Francisco

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: Direct monetary donations from neighbors and supporters via online portal (Network for Good), mail-in checks, and employer matching programs. All donations are tax-deductible under 501(c)(3) status.
2. Foundation and Corporate Grants: Funding from local family, corporate, and issue-focused foundations and funders as part of their network of partners.
3. In-Kind Donations: Food and non-food item donations from local merchants, grocery stores, neighbors, and community members.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Haight Ashbury Food Program operates a free weekly Saturday food pantry (the Vetter Family Food Pantry) at 1525 Waller St., San Francisco, distributing fresh produce, protein, grains, and staples to anyone experiencing hunger without requiring ID or permanent address. It also accepts in-kind food donations, coordinates a volunteer program, runs the "Food is Love" cultural exchange partnership with Pyramid Lake Paiute Reservation, and processes monetary donations under its 501(c)(3) status.

Product overview

Haight Ashbury Food Program operates as a single unified nonprofit offering centered on its Food Pantry Program, a weekly food distribution service. The organization provides food and community to those in need through integrated services including food donations acceptance, volunteer coordination, and monetary giving programs. The Food Pantry serves as the core offering, supplemented by the Food is Love cultural exchange program, volunteer engagement opportunities, and donation processing infrastructure. All programs work together toward the mission of providing food and referral services while fostering community belonging.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Vetter Family Food Pantry Program Weekly outdoor food distribution program operating on Saturdays from 11:30 a.m. to 1:15 p.m. at 1525 Waller St., San Francisco. Serves 300+ people per week with fresh fruits, vegetables, protein, grains, and other staples distributed via a farmer's market-style shopping model. Open to anyone experiencing hunger with no ID or address requirements.
• Food is Love Program

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 1,000,000 meals provided since 1983
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• San Francisco-Marin Food BankcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrimary food supplier providing fresh fruits, vegetables, protein, grains, and other staples. The food program receives bulk food from the Food Bank and supplements with rescued food from local grocers.
• Mollie Stone's MarketscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal grocery chain participates in food waste donation programs. Grocers donate surplus food, working with SF-Marin Food Bank's Fresh Rescue Program for redistribution.
• Food RunnerscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerVolunteer relay program that alleviates hunger and prevents waste in San Francisco. Volunteers relay food for over 20,000 meals in San Francisco each week.
• Sequoia LivingminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAssisted living community where residents donate surplus food and household items to the pantry. Residents including Victor deliver donations weekly.
• Feeding AmericaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational network providing food assistance to more than 25 million low-income people, including 9 million children and 3 million seniors.
• Trader Joe'sminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorNational chain of neighborhood grocery stores that donates surplus food items to the program.
• San Francisco Free Help ChartsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerResource guide of free food, shelter, medical aid and neighborhood help services in San Francisco.
• California Food Policy AdvocatesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerStatewide public policy and advocacy organization dedicated to improving health and well being of low-income Californians by increasing access to nutritious food.
• Independent Living Resource CenterminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDisability rights advocacy and support organization ensuring people with disabilities are full social and economic partners in accessible communities.
• Food Research and Action Center (FRAC)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational organization working to improve public policies and public-private partnerships to eradicate hunger and undernutrition in the United States.
• Larkin Street Youth ServicesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHomeless outreach organization receiving weekly food deliveries for dozens of youth clients.
• Baker PlacesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDrug treatment program receiving food deliveries as part of the program's homeless outreach efforts.
• Progress FoundationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMental health program facilities receiving food deliveries for clients as part of community outreach.
• Luke's LocalminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorLocal grocery store providing weekly food donations to the pantry.
• Gus's Community MarketminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorLocal grocery store providing weekly food donations to the pantry.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Glide Foundation: SF-based nonprofit providing free meals and social services to low-income, homeless, and marginalized populations. Comparable in mission, geography, and barrier-free service delivery to vulnerable neighbors.
• Project Open Hand: SF-based nonprofit providing free, nutritious meals and groceries to seniors and people with medical conditions. Comparable in distributing free food to vulnerable, often homebound populations across the Bay Area.
• St. Vincent de Paul Society of San Francisco: SF-based charitable organization providing food, clothing, and household assistance to low-income individuals and families. Directly comparable in providing free food and basic services to vulnerable SF residents.
• St. Anthony Foundation: Tenderloin-based SF nonprofit running a free dining program and social services for low-income and homeless neighbors. Directly comparable community-based, no-cost food distribution serving similar Bay Area vulnerable populations.
• SF-Marin Food Bank: San Francisco's largest hunger-relief organization and HAFP's primary food supplier. Operates a comparable community food distribution model across SF and Marin, serving a similar low-income and food-insecure population through a network of partner pantries.

Broad incumbents

• Feeding America: National hunger-relief organization and largest U.S. domestic food charity. HAFP's listed national network partner; operates the dominant incumbent food bank network of which comparable regional and local pantries are affiliates.
• Second Harvest Food Bank of Santa Clara & San Mateo Counties: Larger regional Feeding America affiliate serving Santa Clara and San Mateo counties. Comparable community food distribution model through a partner pantry network, though at much greater scale and county-wide scope.

Regional players

• Alameda County Community Food Bank: Larger Bay Area food bank serving Alameda County through a partner pantry network. Comparable hunger-relief mission and food distribution model but operating across a different Bay Area county from HAFP.
• Food Bank of Contra Costa and Solano: Regional food bank serving Contra Costa and Solano counties. Operates a comparable nonprofit food distribution model focused on low-income and food-insecure households in a different Bay Area geography than HAFP.

Others

• Food Runners: SF-based volunteer food rescue organization that ferries surplus food from grocers and restaurants to nonprofit meal programs, including HAFP itself. Serves as an enabling infrastructure provider within the same local food redistribution ecosystem.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/HaightAshburyFoodProgram
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/haight-ashbury-food-program

Compliance1 record

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 Haight Ashbury Food Program