What Cumberland County Food Security Council does

The Cumberland County Food Security Council (CCFSC) is a Maine-based nonprofit organization founded in 2011 that initiates and facilitates collaborative action toward a just, resilient, and sustainable food system ensuring equitable access to healthy food. Operating from South Portland, Maine with a staff of approximately six (Executive Director, School Food Systems Manager, Local Food Access Program Manager, and three FoodCorps service members), the organization functions as a coalition rather than a direct service provider. It convenes engaged citizens, community leaders, nonprofits, farmers, and government agencies to address food insecurity in Cumberland County with selective statewide policy engagement. Governance is provided by a Board of Directors whose leadership overlaps with Cumberland County Public Health, The Locker Project, and allied nonprofits.

CCFSC's operating portfolio comprises four core programs. The Local Food Access Program (including a Gleaning Initiative that recovers surplus farm produce) and School Food Systems (placing FoodCorps service members in Portland, South Portland, and Westbrook school districts) anchor direct programmatic activity. The Maine Meat Initiative extends engagement into statewide meat processing policy via the Maine Department of Agriculture's Working Group on Custom Slaughterhouses, and the Racial & Economic Justice program addresses systemic food system inequities in partnership with Maine Wabanaki-REACH and Somali Bantu Community Association / Liberation Farms. Supporting convenings include the recurring Food Policy Forum (2017, 2019, 2021, 2023, 2025), the Annual Meeting series, and the Feeding the 5000 community event held in 2016 that collected 4,174 pounds of gleaned produce.

The business model is donations-based with no commercial product or service revenue and no pricing model. Strategic partners include Good Shepherd Food Bank, Wayside Food Programs, Full Plates Full Potential, FoodCorps, three school districts, the Rockefeller Foundation, Healthy Acadia, and the Natural Resources Council of Maine. The organization has no proprietary technology stack, no AI/ML capabilities, and no mobile applications; its core "infrastructure" is the coalition network itself, and its go-to-market motion is community-led rather than commercial.

Name

Cumberland County Food Security Council

Legal name

Cumberland County Food Security Council

Website

https://ccfoodsecurity.org

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Cumberland County Food Security Council is a 2011-founded nonprofit coalition that convenes community stakeholders, nonprofits, farmers, and government agencies to advance food security and equitable access to healthy food across Cumberland County, Maine, primarily through gleaning, school food systems, and policy advocacy programs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Food Security Services

NAICS

Community Food Services (62421)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Food Assistance & Food Banks (BPAGAEAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Food & Nutrition Assistance Programs (BPAIAKAF), Child Nutrition & Meal Programs (CACFP/Snack Programs) (EDACAMAA)

Keywords

• Food security council
• Community food access
• Gleaning programs
• School nutrition systems
• Food policy advocacy

Headquarters

HQ city

South Portland

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations: Organization is funded through charitable donations from individuals and organizations. Accepts donations via check and likely other methods.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

The Cumberland County Food Security Council (CCFSC) is a nonprofit coalition that initiates and facilitates collaborative action toward a just, resilient, and sustainable food system in Cumberland County, Maine. It coordinates programs in local food access (including gleaning), school food systems, the Maine Meat Initiative, and racial and economic justice, and convenes stakeholders through events like the annual Food Policy Forum and Feeding the 5000.

Product overview

Cumberland County Food Security Council operates as a nonprofit coalition organizing collaborative action toward a just, resilient, and sustainable food system in Cumberland County, Maine. Rather than a commercial product platform, the organization offers a portfolio of interconnected programs and initiatives: the Local Food Access Program (including the Gleaning Initiative), School Food Systems, Maine Meat Initiative, and Racial & Economic Justice work form the core operational areas. These programs are supported by convening activities like the annual Food Policy Forum and Feeding the 5000 community events. The organization also provides practical Food Access Resources including recipe guides in multiple languages and connections to SNAP benefit programs (Maine Harvest Bucks, Farm Fresh Rewards). All programs emphasize collaboration across nonprofits, farms, schools, and government agencies to ensure equitable access to healthy food.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Local Food Access Program
• Gleaning Initiative
• School Food Systems Program
• Maine Meat Initiative
• Racial and Economic Justice Program
• Food Access Resources

Quantifiable outcome

• 4174 pounds of produce collected by 50 volunteers in 2016 Feeding the 5000 event

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

17 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Good Shepherd Food BankcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrimary food bank partner for Maine, collaborating on food access programs, the Farm Fresh Rewards SNAP doubling program, and food distribution initiatives.
• Wayside Food ProgramscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal nonprofit partner for food pantry services and community resources, including culturally preferred foods initiatives.
• Healthy AcadiacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional health organization that co-led the Feeding the 5000 Portland event coalition.
• Natural Resources Council of MainecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEnvironmental organization that co-led the Feeding the 5000 Portland event coalition.
• Full Plates Full PotentialcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStatewide nonprofit focused on child nutrition and the Local Food Fund; collaborates on policy advocacy.
• FoodCorpscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational organization providing service members to schools; CCFSC hosts three FoodCorps members for Portland, South Portland, and Westbrook School Districts.
• Portland School DistrictcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHost district for FoodCorps member focusing on school food systems and nutrition education.
• South Portland School DistrictcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHost district for FoodCorps member focusing on school food systems and nutrition education.
• Westbrook School DistrictcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHost district for FoodCorps member focusing on school food systems and nutrition education.
• Maine Wabanaki-REACHcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIndigenous-led organization working on racial justice; CCFSC supports through advocacy and land acknowledgment work.
• Somali Bantu Community Association / Liberation FarmscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerConnects immigrant farmers to markets; CCFSC works on food access and farm-to-school programs with this partner.
• The Locker ProjectcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSouth Portland-based nonprofit operating school- and community-based take-home food programs; CCFSC Board member is Executive Director.
• Cumberland County Public HealthcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCounty health agency; CCFSC Board President works there as Healthy Eating Active Living Team Lead.
• UMaine Cooperative ExtensionminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAgricultural extension service providing resources for growing food and farmers markets.
• MOFGA (Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerStatewide organic farming organization; referenced for resources on growing food.
• Maine SNAP-EdminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFederally-funded nutrition education program; collaborated on Know Your Veggies resource.
• Merrymeeting GleanersminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGleaning organization that created the Know Your Veggies recipe resource with CCFSC.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• FoodCorps: National nonprofit placing service members in schools to improve children's access to healthy food. Comparable as the institutional backer of CCFSC's three school-district FoodCorps placements and the broader Farm to School programmatic backbone.

Direct peers

• Good Shepherd Food Bank: Maine's largest hunger-relief organization operating food distribution, pantries, and Farm Fresh Rewards. Directly comparable as both a Cumberland County-area food security organization and CCFSC's primary distribution partner with overlapping donor base and beneficiary populations.
• Healthy Acadia: Community health nonprofit in Washington and Hancock counties of Maine running food access, gleaning, and Feeding the 5000 events. Directly comparable as a regional food security coalition that co-led the 2016 Feeding the 5000 Portland event with CCFSC.
• Full Plates Full Potential: Statewide Maine nonprofit focused on ending child hunger, operating the Local Food Fund and policy advocacy. Directly comparable to CCFSC's child nutrition and Farm to School work, with overlapping leadership in Maine's food policy advocacy space.
• Wayside Food Programs: Multi-service Cumberland County food security nonprofit operating food pantries, mobile pantries, and meal programs. Comparable as a peer food assistance organization operating in the same geography with similar Coalition-style coordination across Cumberland County.
• The Locker Project: South Portland-based nonprofit operating school- and community-based take-home food programs. Comparable as a peer food security organization with strong school-based food access programs; shares board leadership with CCFSC and targets Cumberland County families.

Emerging players

• Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association (MOFGA): Statewide organization supporting organic agriculture, farmers, and food system education in Maine. Comparable as a peer food system organization with overlapping policy, education, and farm-to-community programming across Maine.

Regional players

• Vermont Foodbank: Largest hunger-relief organization in Vermont providing food distribution and nutrition programs. Comparable as a regional food bank peer in Northern New England with overlapping food security programming, gleaning initiatives, and policy advocacy.
• Massachusetts Farm to School: Statewide farm-to-school organization connecting Massachusetts schools with local farms and food education. Comparable as a peer farm-to-school and school nutrition organization with similar coalition-driven model in a neighboring New England state.

Others

• Maine Equal Justice: Statewide poverty and economic security advocacy nonprofit working on SNAP, TANF, and food access policy. Comparable as a peer policy advocacy organization that co-files legislation and coordinates on food security and anti-hunger campaigns in Maine.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cumberland-county-food-security-council

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 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 Cumberland County Food Security Council