Saline Area Social Service, Inc.

What Saline Area Social Service, Inc. does

Saline Area Social Service, Inc. (SASS) is a private 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1961 by Marian Hering, headquartered at 1259 Industrial Drive in Saline, Michigan. The organization delivers food assistance, emergency financial aid, youth and senior support programs, holiday provisions, and workforce development classes to residents of the Saline Area School District and households whose children attend Saline Area Schools, with eligibility tied to income at 300% of HHS poverty guidelines.

SASS operates a weekly food pantry distributing up to 15 meals per household, emergency assistance for rent, utilities, car repair, and prescription co-pays, homebound grocery deliveries, and a portfolio of specialized programs including a Back-to-School Challenge, snow gear, youth financial aid for extracurriculars, an Adopt-a-Family holiday program, one-on-one tutoring, career path finding classes, and a microenterprise marketing course. A new senior transportation program, funded by Oracle and launched in 2026, provides handicapped-accessible rides to medical appointments, the pantry, and University of Michigan Health facilities. The organization runs no proprietary technology systems; service delivery relies on a physical pantry, a website, social media channels, and referrals through Helplink's 2-1-1 Call Center and partner schools.

The business model is 100% community-funded: revenue streams comprise individual donations, corporate sponsorships across five tiers, in-kind food and goods donations, foundation grants (Edward F. Redies Foundation, Ryder-Faulstich, KeyBank, Whitener Family Giving Fund, Mullick Foundation, Glacier Hills Legacy Fund), retail partner programs (Meijer Simply Give, Busch's Cash for Education, Amazon Wish List), and recurring fundraising events including the Saline Food Truck Festival, GivingTuesday matches, and match challenges. In 2025 the organization served approximately 655 residents and distributed the equivalent of 150,363 meals and over $392,640 in food and paper products through a network of 100+ community partners.

Name

Saline Area Social Service, Inc.

Legal name

Saline Area Social Service, Inc.

Website

https://salinesocialservice.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1961

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Saline Area Social Service (SASS) is a 100% community-funded 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1961 that provides food pantry, emergency financial aid, youth and senior programs, and workforce development classes to low-income residents of the Saline Area School District in Michigan.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Social Services

NAICS

Community Food Services (624210), Community Food and Housing, and Emergency and Other Relief Services (6242), Emergency and Other Relief Services (62423)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Food & Nutrition Assistance Programs (BPAIAKAF)

akta.pro secondary industry

School Feeding & Social Protection Partnerships (Conditional Cash Transfers, etc.) (EDADALAL)

Keywords

• Food assistance services
• Emergency financial aid
• Community social services
• Youth support programs
• Senior transportation services

Headquarters

HQ city

Saline

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: Private individual donations through online portal, mail, or in-person contributions. SASS is a 100% community-funded organization.
2. Corporate Sponsorships: Corporate sponsorship program with multiple tiers (Humanitarian, Benefactor, Sponsor, Supporter, Partner) providing brand exposure through website, social media, press communications, and event materials.
3. Food and Goods Donations: In-kind donations of food, paper products, personal care items, and other supplies from individuals, businesses, and community groups.
4. Foundation Grants: Grants from foundations such as Edward F. Redies Foundation ($100,000 commitment), Ryder-Faulstich Foundation, and others.
5. Retail Partner Programs: Programs with retailers including Meijer Simply Give (donation cards tripled), Busch's Cash for Education, and Amazon Wish List registry.
6. Fundraising Events: Annual events including Saline Food Truck Festival, holiday meal sponsorships, Adopt-a-Family program, and GivingTuesday challenges.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

SASS operates a free weekly food pantry providing up to 15 meals per household (fresh, frozen, canned, boxed), emergency financial assistance for rent, utilities, car repairs, and prescription co-pays, and weekly homebound grocery deliveries. The organization also runs youth programs (back-to-school supplies, snow gear, birthday gifts, extracurricular financial aid), holiday meal and Adopt-a-Family programs, senior transportation, tutoring, career development classes, and a small business marketing course for qualifying residents of the Saline Area School District.

Product overview

Saline Area Social Service (SASS) is a private, tax-exempt non-profit organization offering a comprehensive suite of social service programs centered on food assistance and emergency aid. The organization operates a weekly food pantry providing up to 15 meals per week, emergency financial assistance, and specialized programs supporting youth (back-to-school supplies, snow gear, birthday gifts, youth financial aid for extracurriculars), seniors (transportation services), and families (holiday meals, Adopt-a-Family). Additional services include career development classes, tutoring, pet supplies, and a small business marketing course. SASS serves residents within the Saline Area School District or those with children enrolled in Saline Area Schools, distributing the equivalent of approximately 150,363 meals annually through partnerships with over 100 community organizations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Food Pantry Weekly food distribution for qualifying households within the Saline Area School District, providing up to 15 meals per week including fresh, frozen, canned, and boxed goods. Clients visit the pantry at 1259 Industrial Drive during scheduled hours.
• Emergency Assistance Limited financial assistance for qualifying households to help cover rent, energy bills, car repairs, and prescription co-pays during periods of financial hardship.

Quantifiable outcome

• Served 655 local residents and provided nearly $400,000 in groceries and essentials in 2025 alone
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered humanitarian (flagship) and supporter.

• Meijerhumanitarian (flagship)GTM or Marketing PartnerMeijer's Simply Give program allows customers to purchase $10 donation cards that are converted into food-only gift cards for SASS. On designated match days, Meijer triples donations (customer $10 + Meijer $20 = $30 for SASS).
• Food Gatherershumanitarian (flagship)Strategic or Co-development PartnerFood Gatherers is a regional food bank partner that supports SASS's food distribution operations.
• Busch's Fresh Food Markethumanitarian (flagship)GTM or Marketing PartnerBusch's Cash for Education program allows community members to designate SASS as a recipient of rewards when shopping at Busch's stores, providing ongoing passive donations.
• Keystone Churchhumanitarian (flagship)Strategic or Co-development PartnerHumanitarian-level sponsor supporting SASS through church community outreach and donations.
• United WaysupporterStrategic or Co-development PartnerUnited Way supports through the 2-1-1 Call Center partnership, which provides referrals to SASS services for individuals in need.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Others

• Ann Arbor Area Community Foundation: Regional grantmaking foundation that funds community-based safety-net organizations in Washtenaw County. Comparable in mission reach (food security, emergency aid) but functions as a funder, not a service-delivery nonprofit, making it an ecosystem peer to SASS.
• United Way of Washtenaw County: Coordinates funding and 2-1-1 referrals across Washtenaw County nonprofits, including SASS itself. Comparable in the local safety-net ecosystem but functions as a funder/coordinator rather than a direct service provider, making it an ecosystem peer rather than a direct competitor.

Broad incumbents

• Feeding America West Michigan: Regional Feeding America affiliate distributing food through a network of partner pantries across western Michigan. Same food-assistance mission and pantry-distribution model as SASS, but operating at multi-county scale with a much larger donor/partner infrastructure.
• Gleaners Community Food Bank: Large regional food bank serving southeastern Michigan. Operates the same food-distribution model as SASS but at much greater scale, sourcing and redistributing food to a network of partner pantries including community-level organizations like SASS.
• Salvation Army of Washtenaw County: Branch of the national Salvation Army network providing emergency food, utility/rent assistance, and seasonal programs in the same Washtenaw County geography. Comparable service mix (food + emergency aid + holiday programs) at a larger institutional scale.
• Catholic Charities of Washtenaw County: Faith-affiliated social services nonprofit providing emergency assistance, food, housing support, and family services across Washtenaw County. Comparable comprehensive social-service model with a broader geographic footprint and institutional backing.

Direct peers

• Back Door Food Pantry (Ypsilanti): Volunteer-run community food pantry in Ypsilanti providing free groceries to neighbors in need. Closest structural peer to SASS: small staff, community-funded, walk-in distribution model serving a defined local geography.
• Food Gatherers: Regional food bank serving Washtenaw County that supplies SASS with food inventory. Both organizations address food insecurity through distribution, with Food Gatherers operating as a larger regional backbone and SASS as a community-level pantry in the same service area.
• St. Vincent de Paul of Ann Arbor: Faith-based volunteer organization providing food, rent/utility assistance, and household goods to neighbors in need across the Ann Arbor area. Highly comparable service mix and small-staff, community-funded operating model.
• Hope Clinic: Ypsilanti-based nonprofit providing food assistance, medical/dental care, and social services to low-income residents in western Washtenaw County. Direct peer given overlapping food pantry and emergency aid services targeting a nearby low-income population.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/SalineAreaSocialService
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/saline-area-social-service-inc.
• Instagraminstagram.com/saline_area_social_service_

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Saline Area Social Service, Inc.