Stone Soup PDX

What Stone Soup PDX does

Stone Soup PDX is a Portland, Oregon-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit (EIN: 83-2501091) co-founded in 2018/2019 by Craig and Ronit Gerard. The organization runs three integrated programs: a free 12-week culinary training program structured in three progressive tiers (Foundations, Skill Building, Production) targeted at individuals experiencing barriers to employment such as homelessness and housing instability; a Community Meals Program that prepares and delivers 1,700+ nutritionally-balanced meals weekly to shelters, schools, mental health facilities, senior communities, and day centers; and a public-facing Stone Soup PDX Café opened in 2025 at the Glisan Landing permanent supportive housing building in the Montavilla neighborhood. The café is operated as both a real-world training environment for participants and a retail revenue stream, with coffee sourced from Green Bridge Coffee and food prepared by program participants.

The underlying operational model is a workforce-development pipeline with an embedded food-production engine. Trainees gain kitchen fundamentals (food safety, knife skills, cooking techniques) plus Workforce and Interpersonal Skills Education (WISE) modules covering resume writing, interview skills, SMART Goals, and elevator speech development, supported by a dedicated Employment Specialist, Supportive Services Coordinator, and post-graduation employer placement. In 2025 the program achieved an 83% graduation rate and supported 79 participants on the path to stable employment, with outcomes including graduate placements at Shake Shack, Feed The Mass, and a retirement community kitchen (one cited at a $64,000 salary with benefits).

The revenue model combines charitable donations and grants (the primary funding source), earned income from café and catering operations, and in-kind contributions including volunteer labor (400+ volunteers contributing 5,168 hours) and food donations (e.g., weekly bread from Grand Central Bakery). The participant-facing program is offered at zero cost to participants, including bus passes and supportive services, fully underwritten by the organization's funding base. Distribution is concentrated within the Portland metro area, with the Powell Boulevard production kitchen, the Montavilla café/training site, and volunteer-delivered meal routes to community partners forming the three delivery channels.

Name

Stone Soup PDX

Legal name

Stone Soup PDX

Website

https://stonesouppdx.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2019

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Stone Soup PDX is a Portland, Oregon nonprofit that runs a free 12-week culinary training program for individuals facing employment barriers while delivering 1,700+ meals weekly to community partners and operating a public training café.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Portland

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Donations and Grants: As a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit (EIN: 83-2501091), Stone Soup PDX operates primarily through charitable donations and grant funding. The organization explicitly states that donations go directly toward training, meals, and keeping the program accessible. Multiple grant awards are referenced.
2. Café and Catering Revenue: The Stone Soup PDX Café, opened in 2025 at 7400 NE Glisan Street, generates revenue through the sale of coffee and food prepared by program participants. The café serves as both a revenue stream and a real-world training ground.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Stone Soup PDX is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that delivers a free 12-week culinary training program in three progressive tiers (Foundations, Skill Building, Production) to individuals facing barriers to employment, combined with a community meals program that prepares and delivers 1,700+ nutritious meals weekly to partner organizations across Portland. The organization also operates a public-facing café that serves as both a revenue stream and a real-world training ground for program participants.

Product overview

Stone Soup PDX operates as a nonprofit offering a three-component service model: (1) a 12-Week Culinary Training Program with three progressive tiers (Foundations, Skill Building, and Production) that provides job skills for individuals facing employment barriers; (2) a Community Meals Program that prepares and delivers 1,700+ nutritious meals weekly to partner sites including shelters, schools, and mental health facilities; and (3) a public-facing Stone Soup PDX Café that serves as both a community gathering space and real-world training ground. The organization also provides WISE (Workforce and Interpersonal Skills Education) modules and job search support services to help graduates secure employment.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• 12-Week Culinary Training Program A free, 12-week culinary training program with three progressive tiers: Foundations (4 weeks at Powell Blvd kitchen), Skill Building (4 weeks at the Montavilla café), and Production (4 weeks of catering and meal preparation). Participants learn kitchen fundamentals, food safety, knife skills, cooking techniques, kitchen and restaurant dynamics, and gain hands-on catering experience. The program targets individuals facing employment barriers such as homelessness or housing instability and includes WISE (Workforce and Interpersonal Skills Education) modules plus ongoing post-graduation job placement support.
• Community Meals Program A daily meal preparation and delivery service providing 1,700+ nutritious meals weekly to shelters, day centers, schools, mental health facilities, senior communities, and other community organizations across Portland. Meals are designed in collaboration with a nutritionist and include gluten-free, vegetarian, vegan, and allergy-friendly options. The program serves as both a community service and a real-world training ground for culinary program participants.
• Stone Soup PDX Café A public-facing café located at 7400 NE Glisan Street, Portland OR 97213, on the ground floor of Glisan Landing, a permanent supportive housing building. Open Monday-Thursday, the café serves coffee from Green Bridge Coffee and food prepared by program participants. It functions as a real-world training environment for culinary trainees while generating revenue and serving as a community gathering space in the Montavilla neighborhood.

Quantifiable outcome

• 83% graduation rate in 2025
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers8 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

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Catholic CharitiescoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 2 June 2025Catholic Charities collaborated with Stone Soup PDX on the Glisan Landing permanent supportive housing building, where Stone Soup PDX Café operates on the ground floor. This partnership provides both a training ground for participants and a community gathering space.
• IRCO (Immigrant and Refugee Community Organization)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 2 June 2025IRCO is a co-development partner in the Glisan Landing project alongside Catholic Charities, LMC Construction, Related NW, and Stone Soup PDX. The collaboration houses the organization's public-facing café.
• LMC ConstructioncoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 2 June 2025LMC Construction served as the builder for the Glisan Landing project, constructing the permanent supportive housing building that houses the Stone Soup PDX Café.
• Related NWcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 2 June 2025Related NW is a development partner in the Glisan Landing project, which hosts Stone Soup PDX's public café on the ground floor of the permanent supportive housing building.
• Green Bridge CoffeeminorGTM or Marketing PartnerGreen Bridge Coffee supplies the coffee served at the Stone Soup PDX Café. The partnership supports the café's operations while providing a real-world training experience for participants.
• Grand Central Bakery WarehouseminorOthersGrand Central Bakery Warehouse in NW donates bread every Wednesday, which Stone Soup PDX volunteers pick up and incorporate into meals for the community.
• Feed The MassminorOthersFeed The Mass hired a program graduate (Stella M.) who carried her batch cooking experience from the program into her current role.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves11 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• The Campus Kitchens Project: National network of student-run kitchens that recover food and prepare meals for community members in need, with built-in leadership and job-readiness training. Shares the model of using kitchen operations as both a service and a training platform.
• Common Threads: National nonprofit using food and culinary education to bring communities together while teaching children and families healthy cooking skills. Comparable in food-based skills development for underserved populations.
• Ceres Community Project: Combines free, medically tailored meal delivery with youth leadership and culinary training programs in Northern California. Comparable in pairing community meals with workforce-style training for youth and volunteers.
• LA Kitchen: Culinary arts training program for people coming out of foster care, homelessness, and reentry, paired with meal distribution to seniors. Mirrors Stone Soup PDX's combination of culinary training and community meals.
• Martha's Table: Washington, DC nonprofit providing healthy food, education, and family support to low-income communities. Operates a community café and nutrition programs that parallel Stone Soup PDX's café and community meals model.
• DC Central Kitchen: Combines free culinary job training for adults facing barriers with a community meals program and social-enterprise catering in Washington, DC. Closest direct analog in mission, structure, and revenue mix to Stone Soup PDX.

Emerging players

• FoodShift: Bay Area nonprofit combining food recovery, workforce development, and social enterprise to address food waste and food insecurity. Comparable in combining earned-revenue operations with workforce development, though with a stronger food-recovery emphasis.

Broad incumbents

• Feeding America: Nationwide network of 200+ food banks addressing hunger at scale. Operates a much larger and more general food distribution mission, but is a relevant incumbent in the community food services space where Stone Soup PDX operates locally.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@SSPDX
• Facebookfacebook.com/StoneSoupPDX
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/stone-soup-pdx
• Instagraminstagram.com/pdxstonesoup

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles15 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 Stone Soup PDX