Community Cooperative

What Community Cooperative does

Community Cooperative, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization headquartered in Fort Myers, Florida, that operates an integrated platform of hunger-relief and social service programs for residents of Southwest Florida. Founded in 1984, the organization runs multiple coordinated programs including Sam's Community Café & Kitchen, the Community Market, Meals On Wheels of SWFL, Mobile Food Pantries, Social & Education Resource Centers, Able Gardens, Growing Healthy Kids & Families, Healthy School Pantry, Food Literacy in Preschool, and Community Market On Demand. In 2025 the organization's programs collectively assisted over 51,000 unduplicated people, distributed more than 2.4 million pounds of food, and delivered over 129,000 hot meals to homebound seniors.

The service model is community-led and human-operated rather than technology-based. Programs are delivered through physical infrastructure: community cafés and markets, mobile distribution vehicles, home meal delivery for elderly shut-ins, and co-located Social & Education Resource Centers where partner agencies deliver job training, housing, mental health, and benefit application assistance. Community Cooperative draws on a base of more than 4,000 volunteers and operates in coordination with United Way of Lee, Hendry, and Glades as a Partner Agency; it is led by CEO Stefanie Ink and governed by an independent Board of Directors.

All services are provided free of charge to beneficiaries, so the organization generates no fee revenue. Its revenue comes entirely from individual donations, corporate sponsorships, grants from foundations and government sources, and proceeds from annual fundraising events such as Becoming Cosmopolitan, the Sam Galloway Jr. & Friends Soup Kitchen Benefit, Strike Out Hunger, and Bourbon Dinners. Community Cooperative is independently governed with no parent company and no institutional or private-equity owner.

Name

Community Cooperative

Legal name

Community Cooperative, Inc.

Website

https://communitycooperative.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1984

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Community Cooperative is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit in Southwest Florida operating an integrated portfolio of food assistance, Meals on Wheels, social services, and education programs for food-insecure residents of Lee County and surrounding areas.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Food Assistance and Social Services

NAICS

Community Food and Housing, and Emergency and Other Relief Services (6242), Community Food Services (62421), Community Housing Services (62422)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Community Centers & Neighborhood Support Services (BPAGAEAL)

akta.pro secondary industry

Community Center Education Programs (EDAAAFAB)

Keywords

• Food assistance programs
• Hunger relief services
• Social services nonprofit
• Meals on wheels
• Homeless support services

Headquarters

HQ city

Fort Myers

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Donations and Fundraising: Revenue generated through individual donations, corporate sponsorships, fundraising events (Becoming Cosmopolitan, Strike Out Hunger, Sam Galloway Jr. & Friends Soup Kitchen Benefit), and grant funding from foundations and government sources.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Community Cooperative is a nonprofit organization that delivers free food assistance and social services to individuals and families in need across Southwest Florida. Its core offerings include community meals and food pantry distribution (Sam's Community Café & Kitchen, Community Market, Mobile Food Pantries), home-delivered meals for homebound seniors (Meals On Wheels of SWFL), comprehensive social services (job training, housing, mental health, substance abuse, childcare, education, financial well-being) through Social & Education Resource Centers, and food literacy education programs (Growing Healthy Kids & Families, Able Gardens).

Product overview

Community Cooperative is a nonprofit organization operating a portfolio of integrated food security and social service programs in Southwest Florida. The organization functions as a unified service platform providing hunger relief and homelessness assistance through multiple coordinated programs: Sam's Community Café & Kitchen and Community Market serve as primary food distribution hubs; Meals On Wheels of SWFL delivers meals to homebound seniors; Mobile Food Pantries extend reach to underserved areas; Social & Education Resource Centers offer comprehensive support including job training, housing assistance, mental health services, and basic needs; and Growing Healthy Kids & Families and Food Literacy programs provide nutrition education. Additional programs include Able Gardens (community gardening), Healthy School Pantry, and the Community Market On Demand Program. In 2025, the organization assisted over 51,000 unduplicated people, distributed over 2.4 million pounds of food, and delivered over 129,000 hot meals to elderly shut-ins.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Sam's Community Café & Kitchen: A community café and kitchen providing meals to those in need
• Community Market
• Meals On Wheels of SWFL
• Mobile Food Pantries
• Social & Education Resource Centers
• Able Gardens
• Growing Healthy Kids & Families

Products and services

• Sam's Community Café & Kitchen A community café and kitchen that provides meals to individuals and families in need, serving as a central hub for food distribution and community engagement.
• Community Market A food pantry providing groceries and food items to community members in need, supporting food security for families throughout Southwest Florida.
• Meals On Wheels of SWFL A meal delivery service providing hot, freshly prepared meals to elderly shut-ins and homebound individuals in Southwest Florida, with over 129,000 meals delivered in 2025.
• Mobile Food Pantries A mobile food distribution initiative that brings food assistance directly to underserved communities and neighborhoods throughout the region.
• Social & Education Resource Centers Resource centers providing job training, housing assistance, mental health services, substance abuse support, childcare, education, financial well-being, health and wellness, life coaching, and basic needs assistance including clothing, hygiene products, and mail services for homeless clients.
• Growing Healthy Kids & Families A program focused on food literacy and nutrition education for children and families, promoting healthy eating habits and food security.
• Community Market On Demand Program An on-demand food assistance service allowing eligible community members to access food resources as needed.

Quantifiable outcome

• Served 51,000+ unduplicated people in 2025
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Vybe Restaurant (Chef Harold Balink)coreGTM or Marketing Partner · 14 July 2026Vybe, Chef Harold Balink's new whiskey and wine bar at Bell Tower, partnered with Community Cooperative for a School Supplies & Food Drive on July 29, 2026. Event held at Vybe, 13499 S. Cleveland Ave., Suite 245, Fort Myers. Guests who brought five donation items received a free small plate.
• United Way of Lee, Hendry, and GladescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUnited Way Partner Agency status. Community Cooperative operates United Way Houses and Social & Education Resource Centers in partnership with United Way, providing comprehensive social services through referral networks and collaborative service delivery.
• Alliance for the ArtsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for the heART Project, a community art initiative launch event at Alliance for the Arts (10091 McGregor Blvd, Fort Myers) on May 14, 2026, designed to bring art and arts education into underserved neighborhoods.
• FineMark National Bank & TrustminorGTM or Marketing PartnerFineMark hosts FriendRaiser & Happy Hour events for Community Cooperative at their Estero location, helping to engage potential donors and supporters.
• Sam Galloway FordcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerAnnual host venue for the Sam Galloway Jr. & Friends Soup Kitchen Benefit fundraising event (23rd annual in 2026), one of the organization's largest annual fundraisers.
• Topgolf Fort MyersminorGTM or Marketing PartnerHost venue for Tee-Off the New Year fundraising event, an evening of golf supporting Community Cooperative's mission.
• Harold's Restaurant (Chef Harold Balink)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerHost venue for Bourbon Dinner fundraising events in partnership with The Bourbon Society/Southwest Florida Bourbon Society.
• G3 (Tina Parker)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerProvides refreshments and lite bites for heART Project launch event and other community events.
• Florida Power & Light (FPL)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerTitle sponsor for Empty Bowls 2023 event, a fundraising event featuring soup and handcrafted ceramic bowls to raise awareness about hunger.
• Sanibel PotteryminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborated with Community Cooperative for Empty Bowls events, contributing handcrafted ceramic bowls made by local artisans for sale to raise hunger awareness.
• The Forest Country ClubminorGTM or Marketing PartnerHost venue for Community Cooperative's 40th Anniversary Luncheon in September 2024.
• The Ranch Concert Hall & SalooncoreGTM or Marketing PartnerRegular host venue for Becoming Cosmopolitan annual fundraising events (Mad About Hunger, Gone Country themes), drawing 300+ guests per event.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Regional players

• Habitat for Humanity of Lee and Hendry Counties: SWFL affiliate focused on affordable housing and homeownership, providing the housing-assistance piece that complements CCI's food and social-service portfolio. Comparable donor base and regional catchment; not a direct service competitor.
• Goodwill Industries of Southwest Florida: SWFL-based social enterprise focused on workforce development, job training, and community services. Adjacent rather than direct competitor — overlaps on the Social & Education Resource Center functions (job training, life coaching) but is not a food-assistance provider.

Direct peers

• St. Matthew's House: Naples-based SWFL nonprofit offering an integrated menu of food assistance, shelter, housing, and social services — closely paralleling Community Cooperative's one-stop-shop model. Direct competitor for both donor dollars and grant funding within SWFL.
• Feeding Southwest Florida: Regional food bank serving the same Lee / SWFL geography with food distribution, mobile pantries, and hunger-relief programming. Operates at materially larger food-pound scale but shares Community Cooperative's core mission of alleviating food insecurity in the same catchment area.

Others

• United Way of Lee, Hendry, and Glades: CCI's most important funder and Partner Agency relationship; United Way operates the Social & Education Resource Centers with CCI as the implementing agency. Operates as a convener / funder rather than direct service provider, but shares donor base and strategic agenda.

Broad incumbents

• Meals on Wheels America: National umbrella organization supporting local Meals on Wheels programs, including Meals on Wheels of SWFL which CCI operates. Provides funding, advocacy, and operational standards — directly comparable on the senior-meal-delivery function that is one of CCI's signature programs.
• The Salvation Army of Lee, Hendry & Glades Counties: National faith-based social services organization with a strong local SWFL presence offering food, shelter, holiday assistance, and emergency relief. Larger, broader portfolio but overlaps directly with CCI on food pantries and emergency social services in the same geography.
• Catholic Charities Diocese of Venice: Regional Catholic social services agency operating across SWFL with food pantries, housing counseling, and emergency assistance programs. Larger geographic and programmatic footprint than CCI but competes for the same donor base and serves overlapping populations.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/CCLeeCounty
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCzdJhzkTKbF43XaNu0KZabA
• Facebookfacebook.com/communitycooperative
• Instagraminstagram.com/communitycooperative

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds2 records

Investors2 records

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 Community Cooperative