United Way Of Southeastern Connecticut, Inc.

What United Way Of Southeastern Connecticut, Inc. does

United Way of Southeastern Connecticut is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit charitable organization headquartered in Gales Ferry, Connecticut, serving New London and Windham Counties. The organization coordinates fundraising, volunteer mobilization, and program delivery across four impact areas: Healthy Community, Youth Opportunity, Financial Security, and Community Resiliency. Its flagship operating asset is the Gemma E. Moran United Way/Labor Food Center, a 20,000-square-foot food banking facility in New London that distributed the equivalent of 2,120,308 meals in the most recent reporting year to 65 member agencies and roughly 27,500 people monthly, supplemented by a Mobile Food Pantry program across the county.

The organization is not a technology or product company and does not sell goods or services; revenue mechanics are entirely donation-based. Funding sources include individual giving, workplace giving campaigns, corporate sponsorships, planned giving and bequests (via the FreeWill platform and the Gemma Legacy Fund), foundation grants, and labor-partnership programs through a longstanding AFL-CIO relationship dating to 1946. Go-to-market is community-led and event-driven, combining year-round corporate engagement (with named anchors such as General Dynamics Electric Boat, Mohegan Sun, and Norwich Public Utilities), affinity groups (Young Leaders United, Women United, Retire United, Student United Way), quarterly Days of Caring volunteer events, and signature fundraisers including the United for Gemma Benefit Gala.

Programmatic offerings include the Gemma E. Moran Food Center and Mobile Food Pantry, the Tommy Toy holiday gift program, the SECT Childcare Collective (40+ partners) and the forthcoming Family Childcare Provider Capacity Pilot, the Eastern Connecticut Health Collaborative (32 organizations across 13 towns and two Tribal Nations), the Constructive Dialogue Collaborative, and the recently concluded 10-year New Capacities financial-stability initiative. Technology footprint is limited to standard nonprofit tooling: Galaxy Digital for volunteer management, FreeWill for planned giving, GiveSmart for event registration, and a content website; there is no proprietary software product or AI/ML capability disclosed.

Name

United Way Of Southeastern Connecticut, Inc.

Legal name

United Way of Southeastern Connecticut, Inc.

Website

https://uwsect.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1988

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

United Way of Southeastern Connecticut is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit headquartered in Gales Ferry that coordinates fundraising, volunteers, and programs across Healthy Community, Youth Opportunity, Financial Security, and Community Resiliency for residents of New London and Windham Counties, anchored by its Food Center and Mobile Food Pantry network.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Social Services

NAICS

Community Food Services (62421), Emergency and Other Relief Services (624230)

SIC

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

akta.pro primary industry

Federated Giving Organizations (e.g., United Way-type) (BPAGAKAG)

akta.pro secondary industry

Community Centers & Neighborhood Support Services (BPAGAEAL)

Keywords

• Community fundraising
• Food bank services
• Workplace giving campaigns
• Nonprofit social services
• Volunteer mobilization

Headquarters

HQ city

Gales Ferry

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: Direct charitable contributions from individuals through online donations, mail-in checks, and planned giving options including bequests, IRA Qualified Charitable Distributions, and gifts of stock.
2. Workplace Giving Campaigns: Employee giving campaigns where companies run workplace fundraisers with options for corporate matches on employee donations. Primary annual revenue stream through campaign season.
3. Corporate Sponsorships and Grants: Corporate partners provide direct donations, in-kind support, event sponsorships, and grant funding for specific programs. General Dynamics Electric Boat, Mohegan Sun, and other corporate sponsors support various initiatives.
4. Foundation and Grant Funding: Grant support from foundations including Chelsea Groton Foundation, Community Foundation of Eastern Connecticut, Dime Bank Foundation, and state funding sources for specific programs like the SECT Childcare Collective.
5. Planned Giving and Bequests: Estate planning options through FreeWill platform, Qualified Charitable Distributions from IRAs for those 70½ or older, and gifts of appreciated stock. The Gemma Legacy Fund provides sustainable support for Food Center operations.
6. Food Drive and Event Proceeds: Third-party fundraising events, food drives, and community events where individuals and organizations raise funds for United Way programs including the Tommy Toy Program and Food Center.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels7 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

United Way of Southeastern Connecticut is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) charitable organization that coordinates fundraising, volunteer mobilization, and direct service programs to address food insecurity, youth opportunity gaps, financial instability, and community resiliency in southeastern Connecticut. The organization distributes over 2 million meals annually through the Gemma E. Moran United Way/Labor Food Center, runs workplace giving campaigns, affinity groups, and collaborative initiatives with 80+ partner agencies across New London and Windham Counties.

Product overview

United Way of Southeastern Connecticut is a nonprofit organization offering a portfolio of community impact programs organized around four focus areas: Healthy Community, Youth Opportunity, Financial Security, and Community Resiliency. The core service offerings include the Gemma E. Moran United Way/Labor Food Center (food banking and Mobile Food Pantry), Tommy Toy holiday gift program, and the SECT Childcare Collective. The organization also operates affinity groups (Young Leaders United, Women United, Retire United, Student United Way), volunteer programs (Days of Caring), and fundraising platforms (Workplace Giving, Planned Giving, United for Gemma Gala). Programs are delivered through partnerships with 80+ local agencies and the Eastern Connecticut Health Collaborative. The organization does not offer a technology product or software platform.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Gemma E. Moran United Way/Labor Food Center: Food bank and distribution center providing food assistance to families experiencing food insecurity in New London County. Founded in 1988, provides equivalent of 2+ million meals annually through 65 member programs.
• Tommy Toy Program
• Days of Caring
• Young Leaders United
• Women United
• Retire United
• Student United Way
• SECT Childcare Collective
• Eastern Connecticut Health Collaborative (ECHC)
• Constructive Dialogue Collaborative
• New Capacities

Products and services

• Gemma E. Moran United Way/Labor Food Center A food bank coalition between the Labor Movement and United Way that distributes food to member agencies and operates a Mobile Food Pantry program. Last year distributed the equivalent of 2,120,308 meals through 65 member programs serving 27,500 people monthly in New London County.
• Mobile Food Pantry A program delivering perishable and non-perishable food items for direct distribution to people in need throughout New London County with numerous monthly mobile distributions.
• Tommy Toy Program Annual holiday toy distribution program that provides gifts to children ages 0-12 in New London and Windham County who would receive few or no toys during the holidays. Served 3,437 children from 1,623 households in 2024.
• Constructive Dialogue Collaborative Program A learning program for high school students designed to equip participants with skills to navigate difficult conversations, build critical thinking abilities, and engage respectfully with people who hold different views. Includes six online sessions and two in-person workshops.
• Student United Way A program for high school juniors and seniors that provides hands-on experience learning about community needs, visiting nonprofit organizations, and participating in volunteer activities. Includes grant-making component where students award a $2,500 grant.
• Young Leaders United An affinity group for professionals ages 21-40 who want to invest in the community through networking, fundraising, and volunteering events. Focuses on United Way's community impact work.
• Women United An affinity group that inspires, educates, and encourages women to affect positive change in the community with a focus on food security through philanthropy, volunteering, and leadership. Raises funds for The Gemma Legacy Fund.
• Retire United A group of retirees and those approaching retirement who want to stay connected to their community through philanthropy, volunteerism, and advocacy.
• Days of Caring Quarterly community-wide volunteer events supporting service projects at nonprofits. Each project brings together 30-50 volunteers to create positive impact for partner agencies.
• SECT Childcare Collective A regional childcare initiative addressing needs through accessibility and affordability of early care, sustainable innovations, and workforce enhancement. Includes Family Childcare Provider Capacity Pilot for Access & Affordability.
• Eastern Connecticut Health Collaborative (ECHC) A collective impact initiative bringing together 32 organizations across 13 towns to improve access and address obesity and adverse childhood experiences through systems and policy change.
• Family Childcare Provider Capacity Pilot for Access & Affordability A pilot program launching March 2026 in partnership with General Dynamics Electric Boat to address childcare shortages by strengthening Family Childcare Providers through technology capacity building and new business pipeline support.
• Workplace Giving Campaign Program Corporate workplace giving program that enables companies to run employee campaigns, corporate matches, event sponsorships, and workplace engagement. Provides Employee Campaign Coordinator Guide, pledge forms, and campaign toolkit.
• Planned Giving Estate planning and legacy giving options including bequests, Qualified Charitable Distributions (QCDs) from IRAs, and gifts of stock, offered through partnership with FreeWill platform.

Quantifiable outcome

• 2,120,308 meals distributed annually through Food Center
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers13 records

Segments8 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.

• Women's Business Development CouncilcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborating with United Way on the Family Childcare Provider Capacity Pilot to support childcare providers as small business owners while increasing access to care for families.
• Connecticut Association for the Education of Young ChildrencoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnering with United Way on the childcare pilot program, bringing expertise in early childhood education to support sustainable childcare solutions.
• AFL-CIO (American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership since 1946 where labor representatives serve on United Way board, campaign cabinet, and allocation committees. Joint programs include UCAN training, AFL-CIO Golf Tournament, and Day of Caring.
• National Association of Letter CarriersmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerConducts annual Stamp Out Hunger food drive on second Saturday in May, collecting food donations along mail routes to benefit the Gemma E. Moran United Way/Labor Food Center.
• Feeding AmericamajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational co-sponsor of Stamp Out Hunger food drive, providing network support for food banking initiatives.
• Eastern Connecticut Health Collaborative (ECHC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUnited Way serves as backbone agency for this 13-town collaborative including both Tribal Nations. 32 organizations working to improve access and address obesity and adverse childhood experiences through systems and policy change.
• SECT Childcare Collective PartnerscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner40+ partner organizations including Bright Beginnings Childcare, CBIA, Chamber of Commerce of Eastern CT, Chelsea Groton Bank, Child & Family Agency, General Dynamics Electric Boat, Hartford HealthCare, LEARN, Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation, TVCCA, Women's Business Development Council working to address regional childcare needs.
• Denison Pequotsepos Nature CentermajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEstablished the Farmer Craig Giving Garden at Coogan Farm with 30,000 square feet of produce grown specifically for the Food Center. Volunteers harvest vegetables weekly for distribution.
• Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation/Foxwoods Resort CasinomajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHost venue partner for United for Gemma Benefit Gala at Mashantucket Pequot Museum. Provides support for Tommy Toy program and Bingo Night fundraising events.
• Food Center Member AgenciescoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor65 member programs including food pantries, shelters, childcare centers, community meal sites, and programs for the elderly receive food from the Gemma E. Moran United Way/Labor Food Center.

Scale indicators13 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• United Way Worldwide: National parent/umbrella organization of the United Way network. While UWSECT operates with local autonomy, UW Worldwide sets brand standards, national campaign tools, and licensing — making it both the governing body and a strategic platform comparable at scale.
• Connecticut Foodshare: Connecticut's largest food bank serving Hartford, New Haven, Tolland, and Windham counties with food sourcing, distribution, and partner-agency network. Operates at materially larger scale than the Gemma E. Moran Food Center and represents both a potential wholesale supplier and a competitive overlap in food distribution.

Regional players

• Food Bank of Lower Fairfield County: Regional food bank serving lower Fairfield County with food distribution, mobile pantries, and partner agency support. Comparable in operational model to UWSECT's Food Center but in a non-overlapping Connecticut geography.
• TVCCA (Thames Valley Council for Community Action): Community action agency serving the same southeastern Connecticut region with anti-poverty programs including early childhood education, energy assistance, and senior support. Operates in adjacent service categories with overlapping partner agencies and donor bases.

Emerging players

• End Hunger Connecticut!: Statewide anti-hunger advocacy and policy organization working on food insecurity in Connecticut. Overlaps with UWSECT's Food Center mission area but focuses on systems/policy change rather than direct food distribution.

Direct peers

• United Way of Western Connecticut: Regional United Way affiliate covering western Connecticut counties. Engages in the same federated fundraising, partner-agency funding, and community-impact work, providing a direct same-state comparable for benchmarking.
• United Way of Greater New Haven: Regional United Way affiliate serving Greater New Haven with a comparable mix of workplace giving, food and youth programs, and affinity groups. Highly comparable in operating model, donor base, and program portfolio to United Way of Southeastern Connecticut.
• Community Foundation of Eastern Connecticut: Local community foundation also operating in New London and Windham Counties, providing grants to nonprofits in the same service area. While a foundation rather than a federated giver, it competes for the same corporate and individual philanthropic dollars in southeastern Connecticut.
• United Way of Central and Northeastern Connecticut: Another regional United Way affiliate serving Hartford and surrounding Connecticut counties. Operates the same federated-giving model with workplace campaigns, member agencies, and impact-area programming, making it the closest structural peer within the same statewide network.

Others

• Council of Nonprofits Connecticut: Statewide association providing capacity-building, advocacy, and shared services to Connecticut nonprofits. Comparable as a sector-support organization but ecosystem-level rather than direct competitor to UWSECT programs.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/UnitedWaySECT
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@unitedwaysect06335
• Facebookfacebook.com/unitedwaysect
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/unitedwaysect
• Instagraminstagram.com/unitedwaysect

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 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 United Way Of Southeastern Connecticut, Inc.