Community Emergency Service
Community Emergency Service (CES) is a Minneapolis-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit that provides food assistance to roughly 150,000 low-income neighbors annually through its Food Market, 24/7 Food Lockers, Meals on Wheels, and Ani-Meals pet food programs.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1971
- HeadquartersMinneapolis, MN, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Community Emergency Service does
Community Emergency Service (CES) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit headquartered at 1900 11th Avenue South in Minneapolis, Minnesota, operating continuously since its 1971 founding by Pastor William Berg as an outreach ministry of Augustana Lutheran Church. The organization delivers food and nutrition assistance to roughly 150,000 neighbors per year through four interconnected programs: the Food Market (an appointment-based, client-choice food pantry open Tuesday–Friday), 24/7 contact-free Food Lockers (online-ordered, code-accessed pickup), Meals on Wheels (home-delivered hot and frozen meals Monday–Friday with wellness checks for homebound seniors and adults with physical limitations), and Ani-Meals (monthly pet food delivery plus basic veterinary services for Meals on Wheels clients with pets, launched in 2015). Service is delivered without eligibility barriers, with explicit attention to culturally relevant foods for Minneapolis's most ethnically diverse neighborhood.
The underlying technology stack is intentionally minimal: scheduling runs on TimeTap, food locker reservations run on OrderAhead, and client communication runs through standard email, newsletter, and social channels (Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn). There is no proprietary platform; differentiation rests on operational execution, volunteer labor, and a curated partner network rather than software. Program staff and delivery are supported by a 19-person paid team and a documented volunteer base.
CES's revenue mechanics are donation-driven rather than commercial. Funding flows from three streams: (1) unrestricted and restricted monetary donations from individuals, corporations, congregations, and foundations — accepted online, by mail, as stock gifts, IRA distributions, Donor-Advised Funds, and legacy gifts; (2) voluntary client contributions toward Meals on Wheels meal costs, subsidized for those unable to pay; and (3) institutional grants from corporate, foundation, and government funders including Otto Bremer Trust, United Way, the Richard M. Schulze Family Foundation, and Hennepin County. The organization holds a Candid/GuideStar Platinum Seal of Transparency and reports financials on its website, but does not publicly disclose revenue totals. Customer relationships are with individual beneficiaries rather than paying enterprises — go-to-market is community-led and direct, relying on congregation, corporate, and foundation partnerships to source supply and capital rather than on sales motion.
Community Emergency Service firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Community Emergency Service
- Legal name
- Community Emergency Service, Inc.
- Website
- https://cesmn.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1971
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Community Emergency Service (CES) is a Minneapolis-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit that provides food assistance to roughly 150,000 low-income neighbors annually through its Food Market, 24/7 Food Lockers, Meals on Wheels, and Ani-Meals pet food programs.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Community Emergency Service industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Food Assistance Services
- NAICS
- Community Food Services (62421), Community Food Services (624210), Services for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities (624120)
- SIC
- Services-Social Services (8300)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Food Assistance & Nutrition Relief (Emergency Feeding) (BPAGAAAD)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Community Centers & Neighborhood Support Services (BPAGAEAL)
Keywords
Where Community Emergency Service is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Minneapolis, MN
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Community Emergency Service business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Supply Chain
Revenue model
- Donations: Monetary donations from individuals, corporations, and foundations support all operational costs. Donors can give online, by mail, via stock gifts, IRA distributions, Donor Advised Funds, and legacy gifts.
- Meals on Wheels Client Contributions: Participants are asked to contribute toward the cost per meal, with subsidy funds available for those with financial need. No one is turned away due to inability to pay.
- Corporate and Foundation Grants: Funding from corporate partners, foundation partners, and congregation partners provides operational support.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Not specified | Meals on Wheels contribution-based model |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels4 records
Community Emergency Service product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Community Emergency Service provides free and donation-supported food assistance to low-income seniors, families with children, and adults with physical limitations in Minneapolis through four core programs: the Food Market (client-choice food pantry by appointment), Food Lockers (24/7 contact-free pickup), Meals on Wheels (home-delivered meals with wellness checks), and Ani-Meals (pet food support for Meals on Wheels clients). The organization reaches nearly 150,000 neighbors annually without barriers to access.
Product overview
Community Emergency Service operates as a single unified program portfolio of four interconnected food assistance services. The core offerings include the Food Market (a client-choice food pantry by appointment), Food Lockers (24/7 contact-free locker pickup for those with scheduling constraints), Meals on Wheels (home-delivered hot and frozen meals with wellness checks for seniors and disabled adults), and Ani-Meals (pet food and care support for Meals on Wheels clients). Together, these services address food insecurity across multiple demographics and barriers to access.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Ani-Meals: A program that delivers free pet food and pet care assistance to Meals on Wheels clients to help them care for their pets without going without themselves.
- Meals on Wheels
- Food Market
- Food Lockers
Products and services
- Food Market A neighborhood food market offering fresh produce, proteins, dairy, shelf-stable items, and culturally familiar foods by appointment. Clients choose foods like a grocery store and may visit twice a month. Operates Tuesday-Thursday 1-6pm and Friday 1-3pm.
- Food Lockers Secure, contact-free, 24/7 accessible food lockers located outside the building for flexible pickup on the client's schedule. Orders are placed online via OrderAhead and packed based on household size and dietary needs.
- Meals on Wheels Home-delivered meal program offering hot nutritious meals Monday through Friday and frozen meals, along with wellness checks for homebound seniors and adults with physical disabilities. Participants are asked to contribute toward the cost per meal, with subsidy funds available for those with financial need.
- Ani-Meals Pet food delivery program supporting Meals on Wheels clients with monthly deliveries of free pet food, vaccines, basic exams, and spay/neuter services for their pets. Serves more than 80 households monthly.
Quantifiable outcome
- Nearly 150,000 neighbors reached annually
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Community Emergency Service
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Community Emergency Service technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Community Emergency Service partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.
- Second Harvest HeartlandcoreRegional food bank partner providing food supplies for CES food distribution programs. Second Harvest Heartland is part of the Feeding America network.
- Meals on Wheels AmericacoreNational network membership providing support, resources, and advocacy for local Meals on Wheels programs like CES.
- Metro Meals on WheelscoreLocal metro area coalition supporting coordination and collaboration among Meals on Wheels programs in the Twin Cities region.
- The Food GroupcoreFood rescue and distribution organization partner providing food supplies for CES programs.
- Hunger Solutions MinnesotamajorStatewide organization providing advocacy, education, and coordination for food assistance programs including SNAP enrollment support.
- Augustana Lutheran ChurchcoreFounding congregation partner from 1971, one of 50+ churches in the congregation partner network supporting CES.
- Lund's & Byerly'smajorLocal grocery retailer providing food donations and in-kind support.
- TEGNA KARE11minorLocal TV station sponsor supporting events and community awareness.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Community Emergency Service competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Open Arms of Minnesota: Minneapolis/Twin Cities nonprofit delivering medically tailored home meals to people living with serious illness; directly comparable to CES's Meals on Wheels home-delivery model and similar client base of low-income, homebound individuals.
- Second Harvest Heartland: Largest hunger-relief organization in Minnesota and Feeding America affiliate; both a CES supply partner and direct peer in food distribution, fundraising, and donor competition for the same institutional funders.
- God's Love We Deliver: New York-based nonprofit providing home-delivered medically tailored meals and nutrition services to people living with serious illness; highly comparable operating model to CES's Meals on Wheels with similar homebound client focus and donor-funded model.
- Hunger Solutions Minnesota: Statewide advocacy and coordination organization for hunger relief including SNAP outreach; comparable Twin Cities ecosystem player working with food shelves and meal programs on overlapping beneficiary populations.
- Loaves & Fishes Minnesota: Twin Cities nonprofit serving free, healthy meals to Minnesotans in need through community meal programs and food shelves; comparable mission and geographic market to CES, with overlap in food-market distribution and culturally responsive service.
- Moveable Feast: Mid-Atlantic nonprofit delivering medically tailored and home-delivered meals to neighbors facing hunger due to illness; comparable service model to CES's MOW program with similar volunteer- and donation-driven operations.
- The Food Group: Minnesota-based food rescue and distribution nonprofit supplying partner agencies and serving culturally diverse communities; directly comparable model as a Twin Cities hunger-relief intermediary with overlapping donor base.
Regional players
- Greater Chicago Food Depository: Major regional food bank serving the Chicago area with a partner-agency network similar to CES's neighborhood food-shelf model; comparable operating model and donor ecosystem but in a different metropolitan market.
Broad incumbents
- Meals on Wheels America: National network and advocacy organization supporting thousands of local Meals on Wheels programs; comparable in mission and operational model but at vastly greater scale and as a network umbrella that CES belongs to.
- Feeding America: National network of 200+ food banks including CES's partner Second Harvest Heartland; comparable in mission and food-distribution model but at vastly greater scale as a national aggregator and advocacy organization.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Community Emergency Service social profiles
Digital presenceCommunity Emergency Service financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Community Emergency Service leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles12 records
Community Emergency Service funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Community Emergency Service M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Community Emergency Service
What does Community Emergency Service do?
Community Emergency Service provides free and donation-supported food assistance to low-income seniors, families with children, and adults with physical limitations in Minneapolis through four core programs: the Food Market (client-choice food pantry by appointment), Food Lockers (24/7 contact-free pickup), Meals on Wheels (home-delivered meals with wellness checks), and Ani-Meals (pet food support for Meals on Wheels clients). The organization reaches nearly 150,000 neighbors annually without barriers to access.
Is Community Emergency Service a public or private company?
Community Emergency Service is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Community Emergency Service founded?
Community Emergency Service was founded in 1971. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Community Emergency Service based?
Community Emergency Service is headquartered in Minneapolis, MN, United States, in the North America region.
How does Community Emergency Service make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Donations are the primary driver. The others are meals on Wheels Client Contributions and corporate and Foundation Grants.
Who are Community Emergency Service's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Open Arms of Minnesota, Second Harvest Heartland, God's Love We Deliver, Hunger Solutions Minnesota, Loaves & Fishes Minnesota, Moveable Feast and The Food Group. Greater Chicago Food Depository is listed as a regional player. Broad incumbents are Meals on Wheels America and Feeding America.
Does Community Emergency Service have an API?
No public API is recorded for Community Emergency Service.
What industry is Community Emergency Service in?
Community Emergency Service's product category is Food Assistance Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGAAAD, Food Assistance & Nutrition Relief (Emergency Feeding), with a secondary code of BPAGAEAL, Community Centers & Neighborhood Support Services. Its NAICS code is 62421 and its SIC code is 8300.