Friends With Food

What Friends With Food does

Friends With Food is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization operating a choice food pantry in Waukesha, Wisconsin, serving over 400 families per week across Southeastern Wisconsin. Founded on March 13, 2020, by Rochelle Gamauf during the COVID-19 pandemic, the organization uses a client-choice distribution model in which guests select their own groceries rather than receiving pre-packed boxes, with the stated intent of reducing food waste and preserving guest dignity. Access is barrier-free: no income, residency, or documentation requirements are imposed, and 98% of food distributed carries no eligibility conditions. Operating hours span three days per week (Tuesday, Thursday, and select Saturdays) at a fixed location at 713 N Grandview Blvd, with dedicated appointment windows for seniors and disabled guests.

The organization is funded entirely by community contributions and receives no state or federal funding. Revenue streams consist of individual one-time and recurring donations (sponsoring a family costs $20/month, family grocery support costs $50/month), corporate sponsorships with brand-visibility benefits, and an annual fundraiser (Luau With Friends) featuring ticket sales, silent auction, and sponsorship packages. The technology stack is built entirely on third-party SaaS platforms—PantrySoft for guest registration, Cognito Forms for intake, Volgistics for volunteer management, DonorPerfect for donation processing, and Auctria for event ticketing—with no proprietary software, AI, or developer-facing APIs. Core operational partnerships include Feeding America (weekly food supply) and Misfits For Jesus (monthly on-site clothing distribution), supplemented by food donors such as Brownberry, Kwik Trip, Saralee, Village Hearth, and the Community Action Coalition. The organization is currently fundraising for a food rescue truck to extend service into the greater Milwaukee area.

Name

Friends With Food

Legal name

SE WI Emergency Support Group

Website

https://friendswithfoodwi.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2020

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Friends With Food is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit operating a choice food pantry in Waukesha, Wisconsin, serving over 400 Southeastern Wisconsin families weekly with dignity-preserving, client-selected grocery distribution funded entirely by community donations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Waukesha

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations (One-time and Recurring): Friends With Food relies entirely on donations from the community. Individual donors can make one-time or recurring monthly donations. Sponsoring a family of four costs $20/month. $50/month supports a family of four with groceries for one month. The organization receives no state or federal funding.
2. Corporate Sponsorships: Corporate partners can sponsor families, events, or the planned food rescue truck (with logo/name displayed on the truck at gold sponsorship level). Corporate sponsorships offer benefits including lead generation, social media reach, targeted marketing, brand awareness, and audience surveying.
3. Event Revenue (Luau With Friends): Annual fundraising event with ticket sales: Early Bird (through July 15) $12/person, family cap $40; Starting July 16 & at the door $15/person, family cap $50. Also includes silent auction and sponsorship packages.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Friends With Food operates a free, client-choice food pantry in Waukesha, Wisconsin where guests shop for groceries (fresh produce, dairy, meat, frozen items, bread/bakery, and pantry staples) during scheduled weekly hours, with no income, residency, or documentation requirements. The organization supplements food distribution with monthly free clothing distribution through a partnership with Misfits For Jesus and funds operations through individual donations, corporate sponsorships, and an annual Luau With Friends fundraiser. All food is sourced through partnerships including Feeding America and local brands such as Kwik Trip, Brownberry, and Saralee.

Product overview

Friends With Food operates as a single-service non-profit choice food pantry, not a multi-product software platform. The core offering is the weekly food distribution program using a choice pantry model where guests shop for groceries rather than receiving pre-packed boxes. The organization supplements its main food distribution with monthly clothing distribution through a partnership with Misfits For Jesus, and runs an annual fundraising event (Luau With Friends) and family sponsorship program to support operations. No software products, APIs, or digital platforms are offered—services are delivered entirely in-person at their Waukesha, WI location.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Choice Food Pantry A choice food pantry operating from 713 N Grandview Blvd, Waukesha, WI, where guests shop for groceries in a grocery-store style environment rather than receiving pre-packed boxes. Operating Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday with dedicated seniors/disabled appointment hours and walk-in slots.
• Weekly Food Distribution

Quantifiable outcome

• Serves 400+ families per week
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration6 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Misfits For JesuscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 February 2022Misfits For Jesus, led by Don and Cammie, provides a weekly meal for the unhoused and distributes free clothing to those in need. In February 2022, the partnership was formalized, with Misfits For Jesus beginning to distribute free clothing at Friends With Food once per month. This partnership addresses both food and clothing insecurity in the community.
• Feeding AmericacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFriends With Food receives weekly food deliveries from Feeding America, one of the largest hunger-relief organizations in the United States. Feeding America sources surplus food that would otherwise go to waste and redistributes it through a network of food banks and partner pantries. This partnership provides the bulk of food inventory for Friends With Food's weekly distribution.
• NextHome (Real Estate Brokerage)minorOthersFriends With Food was founded by Rochelle Gamauf in March 2020. At the time, she was a real estate broker at NextHome. During an online team meeting, NextHome encouraged their teams to reach out to past clients and check in on them, with the CEO emphasizing the need to help others — aligning with the NextHome slogan, #HumansOverHouses. This corporate culture of community service inspired Rochelle's founding of Friends With Food.
• Bank Five NineminorOthersSarah Roth, a board member of Friends With Food, is employed as a Data Analyst at Bank Five Nine. Sarah also co-owns Maddy's Bar and Music Lounge in Downtown Waukesha with her husband.
• Mawicke & Goisman, S.C.minorOthersBill Morris, Advisory Board Member and Vice President of Friends With Food, is a licensed attorney and CPA with a practice at Mawicke & Goisman, S.C. in Milwaukee, WI, focusing on business, tax, and real estate law.
• Prism Title MidwestminorOthersCandace Liebner, President of the Board of Friends With Food, serves as Client Relationship Manager at Prism Title Midwest. Her expertise in building networks is used to bring Friends With Food's mission to local companies and individuals who can contribute to reducing food insecurity.
• BrownberryminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorBrownberry is listed as a food partner contributing bread/bakery products to Friends With Food's weekly distribution.
• Kwik TripminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorKwik Trip is listed as a food partner. Additionally, volunteers pick up food from Kwik Trip locations as part of food rescue operations.
• SaraleeminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSaralee is listed as a food partner contributing to Friends With Food's weekly distribution.
• Village HearthminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorVillage Hearth is listed as a food partner contributing bread/bakery products to Friends With Food's weekly distribution.
• CAC (Community Action Coalition)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCAC (Community Action Coalition) is listed as a food partner working with Friends With Food to address food insecurity in the community.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Feeding America Eastern Wisconsin: Regional food bank serving Eastern Wisconsin, sourcing and redistributing surplus food to partner pantries including Friends With Food. Highly comparable operating model and overlapping beneficiary geography.
• The Hope Center: Waukesha-based nonprofit providing food, shelter, and support services to people in need. Directly comparable as a community food and assistance provider in the same primary service area.
• Hunger Task Force: Milwaukee-based hunger-relief organization distributing food across Southeastern Wisconsin through pantries and partner agencies. Directly comparable as a regional food-assistance provider serving overlapping geography and similar low-income guests.
• Milwaukee Rescue Mission: Greater Milwaukee nonprofit providing meals, shelter, and clothing to individuals experiencing hardship. Comparable as a community food and basic-needs provider serving an overlapping low-income population.

Others

• United Way of Greater Milwaukee & Waukesha County: Regional funder and convener that supports many of the same food-security and basic-needs nonprofits. Not a direct operator of pantry services but a key ecosystem participant relevant for funding and coordination.

Broad incumbents

• Salvation Army of Milwaukee County: Established nonprofit providing food assistance, meal programs, and emergency services across the Milwaukee/Waukesha region. Comparable food-distribution function but as part of a much larger national organization.
• Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Milwaukee: Large regional social-services nonprofit offering food pantries, emergency assistance, and wraparound programs across Southeastern Wisconsin. Overlaps in mission and service area but operates a much broader portfolio.

Regional players

• Community Action Coalition (CAC) for South Central Wisconsin: Regional anti-poverty coalition operating food and housing programs in south-central Wisconsin. Comparable mission around food insecurity; partners with Friends With Food but serves a slightly different geography.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/SEWIEmergency
• Instagraminstagram.com/friendswithfoodwi
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/friendswithfood

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 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 Friends With Food