Friends of the Poor

What Friends of the Poor does

Friends of the Poor operates as FOTP-CMC, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit human services organization headquartered in Scranton, Pennsylvania. The combined entity was formed in 2025 through the merger of Catherine McAuley Center (founded 2005) and Friends of the Poor, consolidating two mission-aligned community service organizations serving low-income residents of Lackawanna and Luzerne counties in Northeastern Pennsylvania. The organization operates three physical facilities — an administrative building plus two warehouses — and delivers a broad portfolio of direct services including emergency shelter, food pantries, clothing distribution, furniture assistance, hygiene products, family support programs, and seasonal initiatives such as holiday and back-to-school campaigns. It serves more than 25,000 unique individuals annually through these programs.

The technology stack supporting operations is standard nonprofit infrastructure rather than a proprietary platform: a consolidated website at fotpcmc.org, Civic Champs for volunteer and event management, Network for Good for online donation processing, and an Amazon Wishlist for in-kind contributions. The organization has 19 employees and no disclosed AI, machine learning, or advanced data systems underpinning its service delivery. Programs are delivered through in-person, facility-based human case management.

The business model is the standard nonprofit donation-and-contribution model. All beneficiary services are provided free of charge; funding flows in through individual donations, corporate contributions, grants, in-kind gifts, and seasonal fundraising campaigns processed via Network for Good and other channels. There is no commercial pricing model, no fee-for-service revenue, and no disclosed revenue or operating budget figures in the input data. The financial sustainability of the organization depends entirely on continued donor support and in-kind contributions, and donor composition is not disclosed.

Name

Friends of the Poor

Legal name

Friends of the Poor and Catherine McAuley Center

Website

https://friendsofthepoorscranton.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2025

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Friends of the Poor (FOTP-CMC) is a Scranton, Pennsylvania-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit formed in 2025 via merger that delivers emergency shelter, food, clothing, furniture, hygiene, and family support services to more than 25,000 low-income individuals annually across Lackawanna and Luzerne counties.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Human and Social Services

NAICS

Community Food and Housing, and Emergency and Other Relief Services (6242), Individual and Family Services (6241)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Community Centers & Neighborhood Support Services (BPAGAEAL)

akta.pro secondary industry

Affordable Housing & Community Development (Housing, Community Land Trusts) (BPAGALAC)

Keywords

• Social services nonprofit
• Emergency shelter services
• Food assistance programs
• Housing assistance programs
• Poverty relief services

Headquarters

HQ city

Scranton

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Contributions: As a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization (EIN: 23-2311889), the organization relies on charitable donations from individuals, corporations, and foundations. The website promotes donation options through their Network for Good portal.

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Friends of the Poor and Catherine McAuley Center (FOTP-CMC) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit social services organization that provides emergency shelter, food assistance, clothing, furniture, hygiene products, and seasonal holiday programs to vulnerable individuals and families experiencing poverty and housing instability in Lackawanna and Luzerne County areas of Northeastern Pennsylvania. Services are delivered free of charge through food pantries, warehouse distribution, and direct program sites in Scranton, PA.

Product overview

Friends of the Poor and Catherine McAuley Center (FOTP-CMC) is a nonprofit social services organization formed in 2025 through the merger of two community nonprofits. The organization operates as a single unified service provider offering integrated programs across housing, food security, and family support services. Their portfolio includes emergency shelter for individuals and families, food pantries and the Family to Family Food Basket Program, clothing assistance through Clothesline and Furnished by Friends, hygiene support via the Period Project, and seasonal programs including Thanksgiving and Christmas initiatives. The organization serves more than 25,000 unique individuals annually through direct service delivery at multiple locations in Scranton, Pennsylvania.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Shelter & Housing - Individuals Emergency and transitional housing services for individuals experiencing homelessness or housing instability in the Lackawanna and Luzerne County areas.
• Shelter & Housing - Families Family-oriented shelter and housing assistance programs to help families maintain stable homes.
• Food Pantries Full and part-time food pantry locations providing food assistance to individuals and families in need.
• Family to Family Food Basket Program Community-based food assistance program connecting families to nutritious food baskets.
• Family Support Program Comprehensive support services helping families achieve stability and self-sufficiency.
• Clothesline Clothing assistance program providing garments to individuals and families in need.
• Furnished by Friends Furniture assistance program helping families establish furnished homes.
• Period Project Hygiene product assistance program providing menstrual products to those in need.
• Thanksgiving Community Program Seasonal program providing Thanksgiving meals and holiday assistance to community members.
• Christmas Programs Holiday-season assistance programs providing Christmas support to families and individuals in need.

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Catherine McAuley CentercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Catherine McAuley Center, one of the two legacy organizations that merged to form FOTP-CMC in 2025. Together with Friends of the Poor, they now serve more than 25,000 unique individuals in Lackawanna and Luzerne County areas.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• United Way Worldwide: National umbrella for local United Way affiliates that fundraise and coordinate community services including emergency assistance, housing, and food programs. Comparable broad community-support funding model, but typically operates as a grantmaker rather than direct service provider.
• Feeding America: Largest U.S. hunger-relief organization operating a national network of regional food banks. Comparable food-distribution model via pantries and partner agencies, but operates at vastly larger national scale rather than direct local service.
• Goodwill Industries International: Large nonprofit social enterprise providing job training, employment placement, and material assistance. Comparable in operating a thrift-driven community services network across multiple U.S. regions, but focused on workforce pathways rather than direct poverty relief.

Direct peers

• Meals on Wheels America: National nonprofit network providing home-delivered meals and food assistance to seniors and vulnerable populations. Comparable donation- and volunteer-funded food security model, though narrowly focused on meal delivery rather than comprehensive services.
• The Salvation Army: Operates emergency shelters, food pantries, clothing assistance, and seasonal programs nationwide. Highly comparable comprehensive service model addressing food, housing, and material needs for vulnerable populations through faith-driven donor and volunteer networks.
• Family Promise: National nonprofit focused on family homelessness prevention and emergency shelter, with affiliated local programs. Comparable as a multi-site family housing and stabilization services provider funded through donations and volunteer networks.
• St. Joseph's Center: Scranton, PA-based nonprofit providing shelter, residential services, and family support. A direct geographic peer operating an almost identical model of housing, food, and family services in the same Northeastern Pennsylvania service area.
• Catholic Charities USA: National network of faith-based social service agencies operating food pantries, shelter, family support, and emergency assistance programs. Directly comparable as a faith-rooted multi-program poverty relief provider, with local Catholic Charities affiliates in the same geography as FOTP-CMC.
• Habitat for Humanity International: Global nonprofit focused on affordable housing and home furnishings for low-income families. Comparable as a housing and home-goods assistance provider funded by donations, in-kind gifts, and volunteer labor, with regional affiliates serving overlapping geographies.

Regional players

• Catholic Social Services of the Diocese of Scranton: Diocesan social services agency providing counseling, housing assistance, food, and emergency aid in the same Northeastern Pennsylvania region. Direct regional peer addressing overlapping community needs through faith-based programs in Lackawanna and Luzerne counties.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/friends-of-the-poor

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 Friends of the Poor