Southeast Linn Community Center

What Southeast Linn Community Center does

Southeast Linn Community Center (SELCC) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 1986 and headquartered at 108 S. Washington St., Lisbon, Iowa. It operates a portfolio of community social-service programs serving Lisbon, Mount Vernon, and surrounding Southeast Linn County communities, with reach across 21 towns and four counties. Core programs include a weekly food pantry with home delivery, a Freestyle Clothing Closet, the Linn Lunch Bunch congregate dining and Meals on Wheels service (meals provided by partner Horizons), two community gardens (Lisbon and Mount Vernon), the Summer Meals feeding program, Operation Backpack (in partnership with HACAP), seasonal school-supply and holiday-assistance programs, a youth-activities program, and a low-cost facility and certified commercial-kitchen rental. The organization runs on a lean staff of five (Executive Director Nicole McAlexander, Volunteer & Activity Coordinator, Marketing & Communications Coordinator, part-time Neighbor Services Coordinator, and Janitor), with service delivery heavily reliant on a volunteer network that contributed 800+ hours during summer 2025 alone.

The business model is a hybrid of charitable fundraising and nominal fee-for-service. The majority of programs are free to recipients; only facility/kitchen rental ($50 for four hours plus a $75 refundable deposit) and the senior Linn Lunch Bunch meal ($5 suggested donation, $6 for under 60) generate direct program revenue. Operating funds come from individual and corporate donations (via PayPal, Venmo, credit card, cash, check), a monthly recurring donor program, three municipal/government sources (City of Lisbon, City of Mount Vernon, Linn County Community Services), United Way of East Central Iowa, tiered local business sponsorships, and grants including from the Greater Cedar Rapids Community Foundation. Go-to-market is community-led: word-of-mouth, school/church/city referrals, email newsletter via Constant Contact, Facebook, and the selinn.org website. There is no proprietary technology; program operations rely on standard consumer tools and volunteer coordination.

Recent strategic activity (2025–2026) has been oriented around partnership-driven service expansion rather than revenue scaling: a satellite food pantry at Cornell College (Natalia's Food Pantry, ribbon-cutting February 25, 2026), a student transportation service with Cornell College (Ram Rides, launched April 2026), a free monthly community dinner (Community Eats!, March 2026), and a second community garden at Seeds of Faith Lutheran Church (spring 2025). A 2026 hiring requisition for a part-time Neighbor Services Coordinator signals continued organizational capacity build-out. The center is governed by a Board of Directors chaired by Cami Sackett-Neymeyer; the organization has no parent company and no equity ownership.

Name

Southeast Linn Community Center

Legal name

Southeast Linn Community Center

Website

https://selinn.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1986

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Southeast Linn Community Center is a 1986-founded 501(c)(3) nonprofit in Lisbon, Iowa operating food, clothing, meal, transportation, and youth programs for residents of Lisbon, Mount Vernon, and 19 surrounding towns across four counties, funded primarily through donations, government grants, and volunteers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Social Services

NAICS

Community Food and Housing, and Emergency and Other Relief Services (6242), Community Food Services (624210), Civic and Social Organizations (813410)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Community Centers & Neighborhood Support Services (BPAGAEAL)

Keywords

• Community social services
• Food pantry programs
• Senior meal services
• Community garden programs
• Transportation assistance

Headquarters

HQ city

Washington

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Individual & Corporate Donations: Donations from individuals, businesses, churches, and service organizations via PayPal, Venmo, credit card, cash, or check. Monthly recurring donor program has been established with a goal of growing recurring donors for budget stability.
2. Government Funding: Funding from City of Lisbon, City of Mount Vernon, Linn County Community Services, and United Way of East Central Iowa.
3. Local Business Sponsorships: Local businesses sponsor programs at various tiers (Platinum, Diamond, Gold, Silver) for the fiscal year.
4. Facility & Kitchen Rental: Facility rental for events at $50 for four hours plus $75 refundable deposit. Certified commercial kitchen rental at $50 for four hours, available one-time or ongoing.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Southeast Linn Community Center (SELCC) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit community center operating since 1986 in Lisbon, Iowa. It provides a portfolio of free or low-cost social service programs including a food pantry, clothing closet, congregate and home-delivered senior meals, community gardens, volunteer transportation, summer meals for children, weekend food bags, holiday assistance, and youth enrichment activities, serving residents of Lisbon, Mount Vernon, and surrounding communities in Linn County.

Product overview

Southeast Linn Community Center is a nonprofit community organization established in 1986 that offers a portfolio of social service programs rather than a technology product. The core programs include a Food Pantry with weekly orders and delivery, Freestyle Clothing Closet for free clothing, Linn Lunch Bunch & Home-Delivered Meals for seniors, Community Gardens producing fresh produce, Transportation services including Ram Rides for Cornell students, Summer Meals, Operation Backpack for students, Seasonal Programs with school supplies and holiday assistance, Activities for Youth, Facility Rental, Community Eats! monthly dinners, and Natalia's Food Pantry at Cornell College. These programs serve residents of Lisbon, Mount Vernon, and surrounding areas in Linn County, Iowa.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Food Pantry Weekly food pantry offering pre-packed food orders, a self-serve area with day-old breads and produce, and volunteer home delivery on Tuesdays and Thursdays; serves residents of Lisbon, Mount Vernon, and Ely.
• Freestyle Clothing Closet Provides free gently-used and new clothing, shoes, and accessories for all ages; open to all Lisbon and Mount Vernon residents with no income guidelines.
• Linn Lunch Bunch & Home-Delivered Meals Congregate dining program with free BINGO and nutritious meals (suggested $5 donation for ages 60+, $6 for under 60), plus Meals on Wheels home-delivered meals for homebound seniors; meals provided by Horizons.
• Community Gardens Two permanent community gardens (Seeds of Faith Lutheran Church in Lisbon, est. 2025; Lester Buresh Family Community Wellness Center in Mount Vernon, est. 2020) producing fresh produce for food-insecure neighbors; combined with Share A Row donor program.
• Transportation Volunteer driver program providing transportation to medical appointments, shopping trips, and other errands for seniors in Lisbon and Mount Vernon and other nearby communities; requires 48-hour advance notice.
• Summer Meals Free daily lunches served during summer months at SELCC, United Methodist Church of Mount Vernon, and First Presbyterian Church of Mount Vernon to address childhood food insecurity.
• Operation Backpack Weekly bag of nutritious food distributed to low-income Lisbon and Mount Vernon students every Friday during the school year; operated in partnership with HACAP's Operation Backpack program.
• Seasonal Programs & Activity Scholarships School supply distribution to students, Mount Vernon pool pass scholarships, holiday food boxes, and Adopt-a-Family holiday gift program; also activity scholarships for Lisbon and Mount Vernon Parks and Recreation programs.
• Activities for Youth Free enrichment activities during school early-outs and summer, including STEAM programming, movies, and collaborative programs with Lisbon Public Library, Linn County Master Gardeners, and Tanager Expressive Arts.
• Facility Rental Event space rental ($50 for four hours plus $75 refundable deposit) and certified commercial kitchen rental ($50 for four hours) at the SELCC center in Lisbon, Iowa.
• Ram Rides Student transportation partnership with Cornell College, launched in early April 2026, providing advance-scheduled rides for Cornell students to out-of-town medical appointments, flights, religious services, grocery trips, and other errands; coordinated through Cornell's Office of Campus Safety.
• Community Eats! Free community dinner initiative held on the third Thursday of each month from 5pm to 7pm, open to all community members for dine-in or carry-out; launched in March 2026.
• Natalia's Food Pantry Satellite food pantry located at Cornell College's Ebersole Health and Wellbeing Center providing food, personal care items, and clothing to Cornell College students and staff; ribbon cutting held February 25, 2026.

Quantifiable outcome

• 7,232 lbs of produce distributed in 2025 through community gardens and donor program
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 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

Partnerships

17 partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Greater Cedar Rapids Community FoundationminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 June 2026Co-sponsor of the UnCharitable – The Movie Event on June 22, 2026, brought to the community as a free screening at the Bijou Movie Theater in Mount Vernon. Also provides funding through the Linn County Fund for programs including Summer Meals.
• United Way of East Central IowaminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 June 2026Co-sponsor of the UnCharitable – The Movie Event on June 22, 2026. Also listed as a funding partner for SELCC programs. Executive Director Nicole McAlexander serves as vice chair of the Iowa Hunger Coalition board.
• Cornell CollegecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 April 2026Partnership expanded to include Ram Rides transportation service for Cornell students (launched early April 2026). Students can schedule rides for medical appointments, flights, religious services, grocery trips, and other errands. Pick-up at Thomas Commons. Cornell's Office of Campus Safety (319-895-4299) handles ride requests. Also includes Natalia's Food Pantry satellite site at the Ebersole Health and Wellbeing Center, which served over 100 visits in its first three months.
• Seeds of Faith Lutheran ChurchminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 August 2025Location of one of two permanent community gardens. Garden was established in spring 2025 with all volunteer labor, replacing the original 2018 garden near the Lisbon Rehabilitation Center. Produce is distributed to SELCC and neighbors. Also hosts the Lester Buresh Family Community Wellness Center garden.
• HorizonscoreOthersHorizons provides the meals served at SELCC for the Linn Lunch Bunch congregate dining program, as well as for the Meals on Wheels program for homebound seniors. These meals are prepared by Horizons in Cedar Rapids and delivered by SELCC volunteers.
• Hawkeye Area Community Action Program (HACAP)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHACAP is the provider for Operation Backpack and a partner for the food pantry. Through HACAP's Operation Backpack program, SELCC provides bags of nutritious food to low-income Lisbon and Mount Vernon students every Friday during the school year.
• City of LisboncoreOthersOne of the primary governmental funding sources for SELCC. Also a partner for community events and programs. SELCC's facility is located in Lisbon.
• City of Mount VernoncoreOthersOne of the primary governmental funding sources for SELCC. Partner for community events and programs. Summer Meals and other programs operate in Mount Vernon.
• Linn County Community ServicescoreOthersGovernmental funding source for SELCC, supporting community services for residents of Linn County including Lisbon and Mount Vernon.
• St. John the Baptist Catholic ChurchminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvides fresh fruit weekly for the Operation Backpack food bags distributed to low-income students at Lisbon and Mount Vernon schools every Friday.
• Together We Achieve / Linn County Sheriff's OfficeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSELCC partnered with Together We Achieve and five other area organizations to streamline holiday food box sign-up and distribution throughout Linn County. Also partnered with the Linn County Sheriff's Office for holiday assistance. The collaboration served over 800 area households with December food boxes.
• United Methodist Church of Mount VernonminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHosts Summer Meals program on Mondays and Fridays. Donated holiday hams for December food boxes. Partnered with SELCC for holiday assistance and Adopt-a-Family gift programs.
• Lisbon and Mount Vernon Community School DistrictsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSchools partner with SELCC for Operation Backpack distribution, school supply giveaways, and Adopt-a-Family wish list fulfillment. The school cafeteria staff helps plan summer meals based on students' favorites.
• Linn County Master GardenersminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvides ongoing support for SELCC's community gardens. Also partners on summer activities and enrichment programs for youth.
• Lisbon Public LibraryminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartners with SELCC for Early-Out activities for students when Lisbon Community School has scheduled early outs. Also co-sponsors summer movies with popcorn and drinks, and collaborated on Educator Open House 2025.
• Tanager Expressive ArtsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner for summer enrichment activities and Early-Out programs for youth. Provides creative programming in collaboration with SELCC and Lisbon Public Library.
• Bijou Movie TheaterminorGTM or Marketing PartnerVenue for the UnCharitable – The Movie Event (June 22, 2026). Also provides popcorn for SELCC's summer movies.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Northeast Iowa Food Bank: Regional food bank serving 16 counties in northeast Iowa including parts of the Linn County catchment. Comparable as a larger incumbent distributing food through a partner pantry network similar to SELCC's food pantry.
• Food Bank of Iowa: Statewide food bank distributing to partner agencies including pantries in the Linn County region. Comparable as a larger incumbent in the same food security value chain; serves as upstream supplier to community pantries similar to SELCC.
• Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Dubuque: Regional Catholic Charities network operating across eastern Iowa including Linn County, providing food, housing, and family support. Comparable as a broader incumbent social services nonprofit in the same geographic footprint.
• Salvation Army of Cedar Rapids: Branch of national Salvation Army operating in the Cedar Rapids/Linn County area offering food assistance, holiday programs, and emergency aid. Comparable as a larger, broader incumbent in the same community services space serving overlapping clients.

Others

• Linn County Master Gardeners: Volunteer horticulture organization that partners with SELCC on the community gardens program. Comparable as a volunteer-powered enabling partner providing technical expertise and labor for SELCC's food-growing programs.
• United Way of East Central Iowa: Regional United Way funding partner for SELCC programs. Comparable as a regional funding intermediary that aggregates corporate and individual giving and distributes to member agencies like SELCC.

Direct peers

• Hawkeye Area Community Action Program (HACAP): Regional Community Action Agency serving six counties in east-central Iowa including Linn County. Directly comparable as a multi-program anti-poverty nonprofit delivering food, housing, and family services; HACAP is already a SELCC partner via Operation Backpack.
• Together We Achieve: Holiday food box distribution partner that has worked with SELCC across Linn County. Directly comparable as a volunteer-driven Linn County food security nonprofit operating overlapping client populations and partner networks.
• Matthew 25 Ministry Center: Cedar Rapids-area nonprofit providing food, clothing, household items, and household goods to low-income neighbors. Directly comparable as a community-center-style social services nonprofit in the same Linn County region serving overlapping populations.
• Horizons, A Family Service Alliance: Cedar Rapids-based nonprofit providing senior meals (the same Horizon meals SELCC serves via Linn Lunch Bunch and Meals on Wheels), youth programs, and family services. Directly comparable as a regional social services nonprofit operating in the same Linn County catchment.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/southeast-linn-community-center-corporation

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles16 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Southeast Linn Community Center