Essentials First
Essentials First is a Bellevue-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit that distributes hygiene kits, culturally appropriate food, and supportive services to refugees, unhoused individuals, and low-income households across four Puget Sound locations, serving 15,000+ people annually.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2017
- HeadquartersBellevue, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Essentials First does
Essentials First (formerly Kits for Peace) is a Washington State 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2017 and headquartered in Bellevue, WA. The organization's core function is distributing essential hygiene products, culturally appropriate food, and related support to populations facing hygiene poverty, including refugees and immigrants, unhoused individuals, low-income families, seniors, single-parent households, veterans, and people with disabilities. Its product portfolio centers on three kit formats (Essential Hygiene Kit at $35 per household-month, Street Kit for unhoused individuals, Snack Pack of shelf-stable food) plus four ancillary programs (Support a Family, Hygiene Champions youth leadership, Essential Skills training, and an Advocacy Program).
The operating model is community-led distribution through four walk-in locations in Bellevue, Redmond, Kent, and Seattle, supplemented by 50+ annual outreach events and partner-mediated channels (e.g., MAPS MCRC for culturally appropriate food, LDS Giving Machines, Together Center for hosted office space, Black Coffee NW, Helping Hands Food Bank). There is no proprietary technology platform; the stack is limited to Squarespace, Constant Contact, and standard forms. Distribution logistics rely on volunteer kit-packing events and the Hygiene Champions youth fundraising program rather than automated or AI-enabled systems.
Revenue is generated entirely from philanthropic sources across five streams: individual donations, four-tier corporate sponsorships (Bronze $1,000 to Platinum $25,000), corporate matching, in-kind donations via Amazon Wish List, and Ramadan/Zakat-eligible campaigns. The organization is youth-founded and BIPOC-led by co-founders CEO Nickhath (Nicky) Sheriff and Chief Policy and Civic Engagement Officer Nabrath Sheriff, and was directly tied to passage of the Washington Hygiene Tax Exemption (HB 2724) in March 2026, which it co-convened through the Essential Needs Coalition.
Essentials First firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Essentials First
- Legal name
- Essentials First
- Website
- https://essentialsfirst.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2017
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Essentials First is a Bellevue-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit that distributes hygiene kits, culturally appropriate food, and supportive services to refugees, unhoused individuals, and low-income households across four Puget Sound locations, serving 15,000+ people annually.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Essentials First industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Nonprofit Hygiene and Food Assistance
- NAICS
- Community Food and Housing, and Emergency and Other Relief Services (6242), Community Food Services (62421)
- SIC
- Services-Social Services (8300)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Food Assistance & Safety Nets (In-Kind, Vouchers, Cash Transfers) (BPADAJAA)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Food Assistance & Nutrition Relief (Emergency Feeding) (BPAGAAAD)
Keywords
Where Essentials First is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Bellevue
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices4 records
Markets served
Essentials First business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Individual Donations: Tax-deductible donations from individuals supporting hygiene kit distribution. Each $35 donation provides one Essential Hygiene Kit for a household of 2-4 people for one month.
- Corporate Sponsorships: Platinum ($25,000), Gold ($10,000), Silver ($5,000), and Bronze ($1,000) sponsorship tiers with brand recognition benefits, social media features, and corporate volunteer opportunities.
- Corporate Matching: Employee workplace giving programs where companies match employee donations to maximize impact.
- In-Kind Donations: Physical product donations via Amazon Wish List and supply donations coordinated through staff contact Marryam Ali.
- Ramadan/Zakat Eligible Giving: Special fundraising campaigns during Ramadan with donations eligible as Sadaqa and Zakat, raising over $91,000 in one campaign.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | $35 Essential Hygiene Kit - provides one month of supplies for a household of 2-4 people |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Support a Family Program - year-long assistance for one family |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Platinum Sponsorship - $25,000 |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Gold Sponsorship - $10,000 |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Silver Sponsorship - $5,000 |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Bronze Sponsorship - $1,000 |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels7 records
Essentials First product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Essentials First is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that assembles and distributes hygiene kits and food assistance items to vulnerable populations in the Puget Sound Region. The organization provides Essential Hygiene Kits, Street Kits, and Snack Packs through walk-in center locations and community events, and runs programming such as the Support a Family program for refugees and other underserved communities.
Product overview
Essentials First is a nonprofit organization offering a portfolio of hygiene and essential goods distribution programs. The core offerings include Essential Hygiene Kits (full-size household and personal hygiene items for households of 1-3 people for one month), Street Kits (travel-size items for individuals experiencing homelessness), and Snack Packs (shelf-stable food assistance). These products are distributed through walk-in locations in Bellevue, Redmond, Kent, and Seattle, as well as community events and partner organizations. Supporting programs include the Support a Family Program (year-long assistance for 12 families), Hygiene Champions youth leadership program, Essential Skills sewing and job skills training, and an Advocacy Program focused on policy solutions to hygiene poverty.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Essential Hygiene Kit Pre-assembled hygiene kit containing essential personal care items, distributed to refugees, unhoused individuals, and low-income families through walk-in centers and community events.
- Street Kit Portable hygiene kit tailored for people experiencing unsheltered homelessness, designed for immediate, on-the-go use.
- Snack Pack Culturally appropriate food pack providing snacks and ready-to-eat food items to food-insecure individuals and families.
- Support a Family Program Sustained assistance program providing ongoing hygiene and food support to refugee families and other vulnerable households in the Puget Sound Region.
- Hygiene Champions Volunteer and community ambassador initiative that mobilizes supporters to assemble kits and extend the organization's reach into additional communities.
- Essential Skills Educational programming that equips program participants with practical self-sufficiency skills alongside the receipt of hygiene and food assistance.
- Advocacy Program Policy and community advocacy program focused on expanding awareness of hygiene access and food insecurity issues affecting vulnerable populations.
Quantifiable outcome
- 15,000+ individuals served annually
- +5 more outcomes
Companies that use Essentials First
Customer profileNamed customers5 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles1 record
Essentials First technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Essentials First partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- MAPS Muslim Community Resource CentercorePartnership for regular distribution of culturally appropriate food boxes. In 2025, distributed 100,000+ pounds of food boxes. More than 90% of Kent location clients in 2024 were refugees or asylum seekers served through these partnerships.
- SCM (Somali Community)corePartner in Settling Afghan Refugees initiative to support newly arriving Afghan families ensuring their hygiene and culturally acceptable food needs are met.
- Helping Hands Food Bank of Skagit CountyminorRegular distribution of hygiene kits to families served by the food bank.
- Black Coffee NWminorDelivered 1,500 personal hygiene kits and food vouchers to low income Black families with children.
- Rotary Club of WoodinvillecoreSponsored Hygiene Champions Summer Program and participated in Dessert Dash fundraiser that raised over $75,000. Hosted volunteer events and community engagement activities.
- The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Giving Machines)coreGiving Machines at South Hill Mall (Puyallup) and Alderwood Mall (Lynnwood) allow community members to donate tangible items like food and hygiene supplies. Presented commemorative statue and certificate recognizing funds raised for Essentials First.
- The Together CentercoreHosts Essentials First Redmond Distribution Location at 16305 NE 87th St, Suite 121A in their facility.
- Community Healthplan of WashingtonminorPartner in Share Your Blessings event providing hot meals and community gathering.
- UW Evans School of Policy and GovernancecorePolicy consultants (Mara Bloom, Olivia Ruuska, Saleena Salango, Matt Stoia) developed research paper 'Access to Dignity: Policy and Advocacy Opportunities for Ending Hygiene Poverty in Washington State' providing policy framework.
- Look2JusticeminorConducted workshops for Hygiene Champions Youth Leadership Program on strategies to co-advocate with impacted communities and navigate legislative and justice systems.
- AmazonminorPartner for Share Your Blessings event, donated supplies for community meals and hygiene distribution.
Scale indicators18 records
Recent moves10 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Essentials First competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Mary's Place: Seattle-based family homeless services nonprofit providing shelter and basic needs including hygiene supplies. Comparable as a Puget Sound Region nonprofit focused on dignity-centered essential services for unhoused families.
- National Diaper Bank Network: National nonprofit addressing diaper and basic hygiene need insecurity through a network of local banks. Highly comparable mission focus on essential needs not covered by federal assistance programs.
- Food Lifeline: Seattle-based food bank serving Western Washington through food distribution and hunger-relief programs. Comparable as a regional food assistance nonprofit addressing overlapping beneficiary populations in the Puget Sound Region.
- Hopelink: Eastside King County social services nonprofit providing food, housing, and family support. Operates in the same Puget Sound geography and serves overlapping low-income, refugee, and unhoused populations.
- Baby2Baby: National nonprofit distributing diapers, hygiene items, and basic necessities to children and families in poverty. Directly comparable model of distributing household hygiene essentials to vulnerable families at scale.
- Northwest Harvest: Washington State's largest hunger relief agency operating food distribution across the state. Directly comparable as a regional food/hygiene support nonprofit serving overlapping vulnerable populations in the same geography.
- The Hygiene Bank: UK and Canada-based nonprofit dedicated to ending hygiene poverty through the distribution of hygiene products. Directly comparable mission, product model (hygiene kits), and advocacy framing as Essentials First.
Broad incumbents
- United Way: National nonprofit funding and convening a broad range of health and human services including food, hygiene, and basic needs. Comparable as a community-support umbrella organization with overlapping donor pools.
- Catholic Community Services of Western Washington: Western Washington social services nonprofit providing housing, food, refugee resettlement, and basic needs assistance. Operates in the same geography with a broader portfolio of services.
- Feeding America: Largest national hunger-relief organization in the U.S. with a network of 200+ food banks. Operates broadly in adjacent food assistance space and dwarfs Essentials First in scale, infrastructure, and funding.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Essentials First social profiles
Digital presenceEssentials First financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Essentials First leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles5 records
Essentials First funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Essentials First 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 Essentials First
What does Essentials First do?
Essentials First is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that assembles and distributes hygiene kits and food assistance items to vulnerable populations in the Puget Sound Region. The organization provides Essential Hygiene Kits, Street Kits, and Snack Packs through walk-in center locations and community events, and runs programming such as the Support a Family program for refugees and other underserved communities.
Is Essentials First a public or private company?
Essentials First is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Essentials First founded?
Essentials First was founded in 2017. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Essentials First based?
Essentials First is headquartered in Bellevue, United States, in the North America region.
How does Essentials First make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Individual Donations are the primary driver. The others are corporate Sponsorships, corporate Matching, in-Kind Donations and ramadan/Zakat Eligible Giving.
Who are Essentials First's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Mary's Place, National Diaper Bank Network, Food Lifeline, Hopelink, Baby2Baby, Northwest Harvest and The Hygiene Bank. Broad incumbents are United Way, Catholic Community Services of Western Washington and Feeding America.
Does Essentials First have an API?
No public API is recorded for Essentials First.
What industry is Essentials First in?
Essentials First's product category is Nonprofit Hygiene and Food Assistance. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPADAJAA, Food Assistance & Safety Nets (In-Kind, Vouchers, Cash Transfers), with a secondary code of BPAGAAAD, Food Assistance & Nutrition Relief (Emergency Feeding). Its NAICS code is 6242 and its SIC code is 8300.