Ruth's Gleanings

What Ruth's Gleanings does

Ruth's Gleanings is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization (FEIN 82-4277688) headquartered in Spartanburg, South Carolina, that operates an integrated portfolio of food access programs targeting nutritional poverty in Spartanburg County. The organization was founded in 2015 by Tonja Smith, a Clemson-trained financial management professional, drawing on her prior service on the board of Hub City Farmers Market. As of 2026 it operates five interconnected programs: the Gleaning Program (food rescue that picks up surplus fresh produce, prepared meals, and perishable items from farms, grocery stores, restaurants, hotels, and schools for free delivery to partner emergency food providers), FoodShare Spartanburg (a bi-weekly fresh produce box subscription at $20 cash per box, with SNAP/Healthy Bucks reducing recipient cost to $5, delivering 9-12 varieties of seasonal regionally grown fruits and vegetables weighing 15-20 pounds, retail-valued at $28-$33), the FoodHub (partner-site-based distribution extending FoodShare beyond the central hub), the Community Seed Bank (heirloom seed saving and redistribution), and Cooking Up Confidence (a four-class cooking-skills series hosted in partnership with the Spartanburg Food System Coalition and Clemson SNAP-Ed). The underlying technology stack is minimal and not proprietary — NeonCRM for campaign management, Qgiv for online donation processing, and a WordPress-based website are the disclosed digital tools.

The organization's business model is a hybrid nonprofit revenue structure anchored on two streams: charitable donations from individuals, church groups, corporate groups, and community members (including the active Full Harvest Farm Campaign with a $50,000 goal and $25,000 anonymous matching gift, with an October 1 deadline referenced on 2026 site content), and FoodShare box sales at $20 cash (or $5 with SNAP card and instant Healthy Bucks match). Distribution is executed through a logistics footprint comprising a FoodShare Hub at 147 Chapel Street, a Food-Packing Hub at 1091 Barnwell Road, and a growing network of partner pickup sites across Spartanburg County. Ruth's Gleanings operates with a small staff complement of roughly 5–6 full-time personnel — Founder/Executive Director Tonja Smith, Director of Community Development and Operations Jeff Randall, FoodShare Administrator Terri Smith, Logistics/Community Garden/Seed Bank Coordinator Forest Reynolds, Bookkeeper Christy Burke, and Food Programs Coordinator Alaina Melchior — supported by a broad volunteer base drawn heavily from local churches, schools, and corporate groups. The customer base spans three segments: individual/family end-recipients (over 9,000 boxes distributed annually, with 50%+ SNAP participants), emergency food providers receiving free rescued food, and food donors receiving tax-deduction receipts and waste-disposal cost savings.

Name

Ruth's Gleanings

Legal name

Ruth's Gleanings

Website

https://ruthsgleanings.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2015

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Ruth's Gleanings is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit in Spartanburg, South Carolina, operating a food rescue gleaning program, a bi-weekly fresh produce box subscription (FoodShare Spartanburg), a Community Seed Bank, cooking classes, and a partner-site FoodHub, serving SNAP-participating families and emergency food providers in Spartanburg County.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Food Rescue and Nutritional Assistance Services

NAICS

Community Food Services (62421)

SIC

Retail-Food Stores (5400)

akta.pro primary industry

Food Assistance & Safety Nets (In-Kind, Vouchers, Cash Transfers) (BPADAJAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Fresh Food Subscription/CSA & Produce Box Retail (CRAHAHAG)

Keywords

• Food rescue services
• Fresh produce distribution
• Community food bank
• Nutritional poverty programs
• Food gleaning nonprofit

Headquarters

HQ city

Spartanburg

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Others, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Donations and Charitable Contributions: Ruth's Gleanings operates as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization (FEIN 82-4277688) primarily funded through charitable donations. The organization receives donations from individuals, church groups, corporate groups, and community members. A Full Harvest Farm Campaign was running with a $50,000 goal including a $25,000 matching gift from an anonymous donor. Checks can be mailed to P.O. Box 5088, Spartanburg, SC 29304.
2. FoodShare Box Sales: FoodShare Spartanburg sells fresh produce boxes for $20 cash per bi-weekly box. SNAP participants pay only $5 via SNAP card and receive a $15 Healthy Bucks instant match, making the box accessible to low-income families. The box contains 9-12 varieties of seasonal, mostly regionally grown fruits and vegetables, weighing 15-20 pounds with a retail value of $28-$33.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Ruth's Gleanings is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that rescues surplus fresh and healthy food from farms, grocery stores, restaurants, and other donors, then redistributes it free of charge to partner emergency food providers (food banks, soup kitchens, pantries, shelters) and nutritionally impoverished individuals and families in Spartanburg, South Carolina. The organization also sells bi-weekly fresh produce subscription boxes (FoodShare Spartanburg) at $20 per box, with a subsidized $5 price for SNAP participants via Healthy Bucks match. Additional programs include a Community Seed Bank, cooking classes (Cooking Up Confidence), and the FoodHub distribution program.

Product overview

Ruth's Gleanings is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization operating a portfolio of five interconnected food access programs in Spartanburg, South Carolina: the Gleaning Program (food rescue that reclaims excess fresh food from farms, restaurants, and grocers for distribution to partner organizations), FoodShare Spartanburg (a bi-weekly purchased fresh produce box program with SNAP acceptance), Community Seed Bank (seed saving and heirloom seed redistribution), Cooking Up Confidence (cooking skills education series), and FoodHub (food distribution through partner sites). These programs work together to address both hunger and nutritional poverty by increasing access to fresh, healthy food.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Gleaning Program Food rescue and distribution service that reclaims excess fresh and healthy food, including produce, prepared meals, and perishable items that would otherwise be discarded, and delivers them at no cost to partner organizations such as food banks, soup kitchens, food pantries, community centers, faith-based groups, and shelters serving the food insecure.
• FoodShare Spartanburg A bi-weekly fresh produce box subscription program providing 9-12 varieties of seasonal, mostly regionally grown fruits and vegetables (15-20 pounds) at $20 per box, with SNAP participants able to use their SNAP card for a $5 charge with $15 Healthy Bucks instant match. Boxes are ordered online or by phone/in-person and picked up at the FoodShare Hub or designated partner sites.
• Community Seed Bank Seed saving and sharing initiative that diversifies and strengthens the local food system by educating community groups on seed saving, redistributing locally harvested heirloom seeds, and storing deposited and donated seeds.
• Cooking Up Confidence A four-class cooking skills series created by the Spartanburg Food System Coalition and hosted by an American Heart Association-certified chef, designed to complement FoodShare boxes and teach food safety, cooking methods, nutrition, and food storage to community participants.
• FoodHub A food distribution program managed by the Food Programs Coordinator that works alongside FoodShare to expand access to fresh food further into Spartanburg County through partner sites.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 9000 boxes of fresh fruits and vegetables distributed to families annually
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

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

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• FoodShare South CarolinacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFoodShare Spartanburg is a branch of FoodShare South Carolina. This affiliation allows Ruth's Gleanings to operate the FoodShare fresh food box program under the broader FoodShare SC umbrella, enabling access to the program's model, recipes, curriculum, and network support.
• Clemson SNAP-EdcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIn partnership with Clemson SNAP-Ed, healthy recipes utilizing the produce in FoodShare boxes are included with each delivery. This partnership enhances the nutritional value of the program by providing customers with guidance on how to prepare the fresh produce they receive.
• Spartanburg Food System CoalitioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Spartanburg Food System Coalition created the 'Cooking up Confidence: Skills in the Everyday Kitchen' cooking class series, which is hosted by Ruth's Gleanings. This turn-key program complements the FoodShare boxes and helps participants build cooking and nutrition skills.
• Greater Spartanburg MinistriesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe FoodShare Hub is located in the Northside behind Greater Spartanburg Ministries, indicating a collaborative relationship for shared community service in the Northside area of Spartanburg.
• Local and Regional FarmerscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRuth's Gleanings works with local and regional farmers and distributors to procure the freshest produce for FoodShare boxes, strengthening the local food system and providing the most nutritious ingredients. Food is also gleaned directly from farms as part of the food rescue program.
• Emergency Food Providers (Food Banks, Soup Kitchens, Food Pantries, Community Centers, Faith-Based Groups, Shelters)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorRuth's Gleanings partners with various organizations serving those in need by providing free rescued fruits, vegetables, whole foods, and prepared meals. Partners benefit from free food, added nutrition for those they serve, money saved on food supply, and free delivery.
• Food Donors (Grocery Stores, Restaurants, Hotels, Banquet Halls, Corporate Cafeterias, Schools)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorFood is gathered (gleaned) from a multitude of sources including farms, farmer's markets, community gardens, grocery stores, restaurants, hotels, banquet halls, corporate cafeterias, and schools. Ruth's Gleanings picks up unused food as a service to suppliers. Benefits for donors include meaningful use of food, tax deduction, waste disposal savings, and community brand recognition.
• Hub City Farmers MarketminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFounder Tonja Smith served on the board of directors for the Hub City Farmers Market, which ultimately opened her eyes to the passions and challenges in Spartanburg's food system that led to the founding of Ruth's Gleanings.
• Chef N'Gai DickersonminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerChef N'Gai Dickerson, an American Heart Association-certified chef, hosts the 'Cooking up Confidence' cooking class series created by the Spartanburg Food System Coalition and hosted by Ruth's Gleanings.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Food Rescue US: National technology-enabled platform connecting food donors directly with local agencies to redirect surplus food. Directly comparable food-rescue intermediation model, though operating at greater geographic scale.
• Food Forward: Southern California-based food rescue organization that gleans surplus produce from farms and grocery stores for redistribution. Operates a produce-box-style program in addition to wholesale donation, closely paralleling Ruth's Gleanings' dual rescue-plus-retail model.
• Second Helpings: Indianapolis-based nonprofit that rescues perishable food and prepares meals, combined with culinary-vocational training. Comparable perishable-food-rescue model with an added educational component analogous to Cooking Up Confidence.
• gleanKY: Kentucky-based food rescue organization that gleans surplus produce from farms for distribution to food pantries and meal programs. Closely analogous gleaning-first model with similar volunteer-driven donor relationships.
• FoodShare South Carolina: Statewide umbrella for the FoodShare fresh-produce-box model that Ruth's Gleanings operates as FoodShare Spartanburg. Directly comparable program design, SNAP integration, and box economics.
• Inter-Faith Food Shuttle: North Carolina nonprofit that combines food rescue, mobile farmers' markets, and backyard/community gardens to address food insecurity. Directly comparable to Ruth's Gleanings across gleaning, market-style distribution, and seed/garden programming.
• Society of St. Andrew: National gleaning network that mobilizes volunteers to rescue fresh produce from farms for distribution to hunger-relief agencies. Closely aligned with Ruth's Gleanings' core gleaning/food-rescue mission.

Regional players

• Food Bank of the Upstate: Regional food bank serving upstate South Carolina including Spartanburg County. Functions as a partner/competitor in the same geography for emergency food distribution, but with a more traditional shelf-stable model.

Broad incumbents

• Feeding America: National hunger-relief organization operating the largest U.S. food bank network. Overlaps with Ruth's Gleanings on emergency food distribution but focuses predominantly on shelf-stable items rather than perishable gleaning.

Emerging players

• Imperfect Foods: Subscription produce-box service that sources cosmetically imperfect and surplus farm produce. Adjacent to Ruth's Gleanings' FoodShare box model with a different (commercial, direct-to-consumer) funding structure.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/foodsharespartanburg
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ruths-gleanings

Compliance1 record

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 Ruth's Gleanings