What Care for Real does

Care for Real is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization (EIN 27-1962360) founded in 1970 by religious leaders including Rev. William Johnson of the Episcopal Church of the Atonement and Rabbi Herman Schaalman of Emanuel Congregation, as part of the Edgewater Community Religious Association (ECRA). Originally created to provide emergency aid to victims of apartment fires in Chicago's Kenmore-Winthrop corridor, the organization was incorporated as a stand-alone nonprofit in 2010 and has evolved into a comprehensive food and social services provider for low-income residents of Chicago's Edgewater and Rogers Park neighborhoods. Headquartered at 5840 N. Broadway in Edgewater, Care for Real operates a client-choice food pantry model across two physical sites (Edgewater and Rogers Park, the latter housed in the lower level of the United Church of Rogers Park since 2020), distributing over 2.3 million pounds of food annually and serving 55,000+ pantry visits per year.

Name

Care for Real

Legal name

Care for Real

Website

https://careforreal.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1970

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Chicago

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, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: Care for Real receives donations from individual supporters including monthly 'Meal Makers' recurring donors. These contributions sustain operations and provide nutritious meals to neighbors in need.
2. Foundation and Corporate Grants: Care for Real receives grants from foundations (e.g., TEAM LEWIS Foundation, Jewel-Osco/Albertson's Companies Foundation) and corporate partners to support programs and operations.
3. Planned Giving and Estate Gifts: Care for Real accepts estate gifts and planned contributions. Full legal name: Care for Real, EIN: 27-1962360.
4. In-Kind Donations: Care for Real accepts donations of non-perishable foods, clothing, personal care items, and pet food from community members.
5. Swag Shop Revenue: The CfR Swag Shop operated through Tee Mart Decorated Apparel sells merchandise including tees, fanny packs, hats, and hoodies, with a portion of each sale donated back to Care for Real.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Care for Real operates a community-based food pantry and clothing closet that distributes groceries, prepared meals, clothing, and household items free of charge to low-income residents of Edgewater and surrounding North Side Chicago neighborhoods. The organization supplements direct distribution with a home delivery service for homebound clients, seasonal school-supply and holiday programs, and case-management referrals, all delivered through volunteer-supported operations at its Sheridan Road facility.

Product overview

Care for Real is a nonprofit food assistance organization (501(c)(3)) providing food, clothing, pet food, and support services to low-income residents in Chicago's Edgewater and Rogers Park neighborhoods. The organization operates a client-choice food pantry model, distributes food four days a week, and offers additional services including Marie's Clothing Closet, Pet Pantry, Baby Care items, Personal Care items, Referral Services, and a Home Delivery Program. These services are available to residents in zip codes 60640, 60645, 60660, 60659, and 60626.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Food Pantry Program
• Clothing Closet
• Home Delivery Program
• School Supply and Seasonal Assistance Programs

Quantifiable outcome

• 55,000+ food pantry visits per year
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• TEAM LEWIS FoundationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCare for Real partnered with TEAM LEWIS Foundation to share Michael's story, a former client and now volunteer. The short video shows the mission in action, features staff, and educates viewers about what Care for Real does.
• Northside Community ResourcesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNorthside Community Resources hosts a monthly public benefits session at Care for Real's new location to help clients with questions about SNAP, Medicaid, TANF, and other benefits.
• Bark Bark ClubminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCare for Real and Bark Bark Club launched the monthly Pet Pantry in 2011 to provide pet food assistance to food pantry clients who own cats and dogs.
• Retail and Nonprofit Food PartnerscoreOthersCare for Real partners with local businesses, retail partners, and nonprofit partners to collect high-need items and receive food donations. Last year, Care for Real received over 2.3 million pounds of food from these partners to meet the growing need for food assistance.
• United Church of Rogers ParkcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCare for Real operates its Rogers Park pantry from the lower level of the United Church of Rogers Park. This partnership, established in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic, fills a gap in services in the Rogers Park neighborhood.
• Whole Foods MarketminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerWhole Foods Market provides food donations to Care for Real, supporting the organization's mission to provide fresh, nutritious food to neighbors in need.
• Edgewater Community Religious Association (ECRA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerECRA is the founding organization of Care for Real, established by religious leaders in 1970 including Rev. William Johnson of the Episcopal Church of the Atonement and Rabbi Herman Schaalman of Emanuel Congregation. ECRA originally wanted to provide emergency aid to support victims of apartment fires.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves15 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Regional players

• Midwest Food Bank: Regional food bank distributing food through a network of pantries and partner organizations. Comparable in sourcing and distributing food assistance, but operates across multiple states rather than a single neighborhood.
• Northern Illinois Food Bank: Regional food bank serving northern Illinois including the Chicago area. Comparable as a food assistance organization, but operates at the wholesale/regional level rather than direct neighborhood distribution.

Broad incumbents

• Greater Chicago Food Depository: Chicago's primary food bank serving a network of pantries and feeding programs across the city. Directly comparable as a Chicago-area food assistance organization supplying neighbor-pantry clients, but operates at much larger scale as a wholesale distributor.
• The Salvation Army Metropolitan Division: Chicago-area Salvation Army operating food pantries, meal programs, and emergency assistance. Comparable in providing free food and social services, but as part of a much larger national organization.
• Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Chicago: Large regional social services provider operating food pantries, housing programs, and assistance across Chicago. Comparable in providing free food and support services to low-income residents, but operates at significantly larger scale.

Direct peers

• Franciscan Outreach: Chicago-based nonprofit providing food, shelter, and case management to people experiencing homelessness and food insecurity. Comparable as a multi-service community assistance organization.
• New Life Centers of Chicagoland: Chicagoland nonprofit providing food, clothing, and supportive services to individuals and families in need. Comparable in mission scope and Chicago service footprint.
• A Just Harvest: Chicago community food security organization operating food programs and a community kitchen. Comparable as a direct community-based food assistance nonprofit serving Chicago's north side neighborhoods.
• Nourishing Hope (formerly Lakeview Pantry): Chicago food pantry providing food, clothing, and social services to food-insecure residents, including home-delivered meals. Closest direct peer given overlapping mission, multi-service model, and Chicago service area.

Others

• Hunger Free America: National nonprofit advocating for and coordinating food assistance programs. Not a direct operational peer, but a relevant ecosystem participant addressing food insecurity through policy, referrals, and partnerships.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/cfrchicago
• Facebookfacebook.com/CFRChicago
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/care-for-real-chicago

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles36 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 Care for Real