Manna Soup Kitchen

What Manna Soup Kitchen does

Manna Soup Kitchen is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization (EIN 84-1004473) founded in 1985 and headquartered at 1100 Avenida Del Sol in Durango, Colorado, serving La Plata County. Originally established to distribute food and operate a soup kitchen, the organization has expanded its mission over four decades to address the root causes of poverty through a portfolio of interconnected services and programs. Core offerings include the Resource Center (a barrier-free facility providing food assistance, SNAP support, showers, laundry, a business center, prescription/ID/phone/job assistance, and transportation coordination), the Food Market (a free-choice market with weekly allotments scaled to household size), and Take-Out Meals served from an on-site kitchen.

The organization's programmatic portfolio extends beyond food security into housing stability and employment readiness. The Resilience Housing Initiative provides four residential units at below-market rents (capped at 30% of gross monthly income) to low-income tenants, while the WAGEES (Work and Gain Education & Employment Skills) program delivers case management and reintegration support to individuals exiting the Colorado Department of Corrections on parole. Supporting programs include the Community Kitchen, a Culinary employment-readiness program, and a Garden program that produces fresh produce for distribution.

Manna's business model is donation- and grant-driven rather than revenue-generating, as all services are provided free of charge with no eligibility barriers. Revenue streams include individual donations (web, mail, planned giving), community grants (e.g., Florence Bank Customers' Choice Community Grants), and tax-incentivized giving through Colorado's Homeless Contribution Income Tax Credit (30% state credit on contributions of $250 or more). Operations are supported by a small paid staff of 11-50 employees and over 450 annual volunteers contributing approximately 10,000 hours of service. The organization is led by Co-Executive Director Marissa Hunt and Development Director Joseph Kuzima, and partners with Axis Health System, SASO, Alternative Horizons, Planned Parenthood, La Plata County Public Health, Laundry Love, United Methodist Thrift, and the Durango Transit Center to deliver an integrated service hub.

Name

Manna Soup Kitchen

Legal name

Manna

Website

https://mannasoupkitchen.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1985

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Manna Soup Kitchen is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1985 in Durango, Colorado, that provides barrier-free food assistance, transitional housing, employment readiness, and reentry support to individuals experiencing poverty, food insecurity, and housing instability in La Plata County, funded by donations and grants.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Durango

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: Manna receives financial contributions from individuals through their website donation portal, check donations by mail, and planned giving arrangements including life insurance, real estate, stocks, and securities.
2. Community Grants: Manna receives grant funding through community giving programs such as the Florence Bank Customers' Choice Community Grants Program, which distributes funds based on community votes.
3. Colorado Homeless Contribution Income Tax Credit: Qualifying donors who contribute $250 or more receive a 30% state income tax credit through Colorado's HCTC program, incentivizing larger donations.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Manna Soup Kitchen is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit operating a community soup kitchen, free-choice food market, Resource Center, and on-site housing in Durango, Colorado. The organization provides free nutritional meals, food assistance, case management, employment-readiness training, transitional housing, and reentry support services to individuals experiencing food insecurity, housing instability, and poverty in La Plata County. All services are offered at no charge on a barrier-free basis, with no requirements for ID, financial status, or residency.

Product overview

Manna is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization operating since 1985 as a community soup kitchen and social services agency in Durango, Colorado. The organization offers a portfolio of interconnected programs and services organized around food security, housing stability, and employment readiness. Core services include the Resource Center (housing the Food Market, a business center, and various assistance programs), Take-Out Meals, and Community Kitchen. The portfolio includes specialized programs including the Culinary Program (employment-focused culinary training), Garden Program (fresh produce cultivation), Housing Programs and Resilience Housing Initiatives (low-income transitional housing), and WAGEES (a parolee reentry program). Additional services include transportation assistance, clothing assistance, shower facilities, and mail services. The organization serves La Plata County with volunteer support and partnerships with Axis Health System, SASO, Alternative Horizons, Planned Parenthood, and La Plata County Public Health Department.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Resource Center A barrier-free facility offering food assistance, resource navigation, SNAP application support, housing assistance, prescription assistance, ID assistance, phone assistance, job assistance, showers, clothing, transportation services, mail service, and a business center with computers. Open Tuesday 9am-1pm, Wednesday 3pm-7pm, Thursday 9am-1pm, Friday 9am-1pm.
• Food Market A free-choice food market inside the Resource Center offering produce, dried and canned goods, meat, bread, desserts, and dairy as a rotating selection based on community donations. Weekly food limits scale with household size (1-2 people: 60 lbs; 3-4 people: 110 lbs; 5+ people: 130 lbs).
• Take-Out Meals Hot and cold meals served through a take-out window on the Manna campus, providing nutritious food to community members in need.
• Community Kitchen A kitchen program in which volunteers help prepare meals, sort donations, and cook food for distribution to those in need.
• Culinary Program An employment-readiness program focused on culinary training and skills development for community members.
• Garden Program
• Housing Programs
• WAGEES (Work and Gain Education & Employment Skills)
• Resilience Housing Initiatives

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 450 volunteers contribute approximately 10,000 hours of service annually
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 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

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Axis Health SystemcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAxis Health System offers services at Manna to help with applications for Medicaid and SNAP. They also help set up appointments with Axis doctors, therapists, or dentists and coordinate with providers for existing patients.
• Sexual Assault Services Organization (SASO)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSASO is a nonprofit committed to end and prevent sexual violence. They offer services in a satellite office at Manna including in-person advocacy, listening, helping survivors find resources, and offering healing hope.
• Alternative HorizonscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAlternative Horizons offers free, confidential therapeutic services, legal advocacy, access to the Bridges of Hope legal program, and safety planning. They maintain a 24/7/365 hotline and offer virtual support groups.
• Planned Parenthood ColoradominorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPlanned Parenthood Colorado HIV Programs provides HIV testing and safer sex materials (condoms, dental dams, fentanyl test strips, pregnancy tests) on the 4th Thursday of each month at Manna. HIV tests are free, confidential, and take about 10 minutes.
• La Plata County Public Health DepartmentcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLa Plata County Public Health Department's harm reduction program regularly attends Manna providing overdose prevention supplies (naloxone and fentanyl testing strips), risk reduction education, HIV and hepatitis C testing, and connections to medical, behavioral health, and recovery services.
• Laundry LoveminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerIn partnership with Laundry Love, Manna provides a monthly laundry service at North Main Laundry. A Manna staff member facilitates the program which pays for laundry of participants who register in advance. Events occur on the 3rd Wednesday of each month.
• United Methodist ThriftminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorManna offers thrift store vouchers to United Methodist Thrift ($18 for adults, $10 for children every six months). Manna does not accept used clothing donations but refers donors to United Methodist Thrift, Durango Humane Society, and Goodwill.
• Durango Transit CenterminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerManna offers monthly bus passes and bus tokens through the Durango Transit Center. Bus passes are distributed from the first Tuesday of each month until the 10th or until supplies run out, with a limit of two per person per calendar year.
• North Main LaundryminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNorth Main Laundry at 2980 N. Main Ave Durango hosts monthly Laundry Love events facilitated by Manna staff, providing free laundry services for registered participants.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Food Bank of the Rockies: Colorado's largest food bank serving Northern Colorado including mountain communities comparable to Durango, distributing food through partner pantries and direct meal programs with a similar hunger-relief mission.
• Care and Share Food Bank: Regional food bank serving Southern Colorado with food distribution, mobile pantries, and community meal programs targeting the same food-insecure population profile as Manna.
• Meals on Wheels America: National organization providing meal delivery to seniors and vulnerable populations, directly comparable to Manna's take-out meal program and community-meal focus.
• St. Vincent de Paul USA: Lay Catholic organization providing direct assistance including food, clothing, housing, and shelter through local conferences, comparable grassroots community service model targeting similar vulnerable populations.

Others

• United Way Worldwide: Network of local United Way organizations funding and coordinating community services including food, housing, and social support, comparable in donor coordination and community resource facilitation roles.

Broad incumbents

• Feeding America: National network of 200+ food banks and the largest hunger-relief organization in the US, serving as an umbrella network many regional food banks belong to and competing for major institutional donors and federal grants.
• Catholic Charities USA: National network of Catholic Charities agencies providing food, housing, and social services through local parishes and offices, with a similar integrated service approach to Manna.
• The Salvation Army: International charitable organization operating multi-service community programs including food assistance, transitional housing, and emergency relief, comparable to Manna's integrated service breadth.

Emerging players

• Habitat for Humanity International: International nonprofit building affordable housing through volunteer labor, directly comparable to Manna's Resilience Housing Initiative through its focus on housing stability for low-income households.

Regional players

• Community Food Bank of Southern Arizona: Regional food bank serving Southern Arizona with food distribution, mobile pantries, and rural community outreach, comparable in geographic market type (small/rural) and operating approach to Manna.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/mannadurango
• Instagraminstagram.com/mannadurango
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/mannadurango

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Manna Soup Kitchen