Read And Feed
Read and Feed is a Cary, NC-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2007 that runs after-school literacy programs combining tutoring, meals, and free book distribution for underserved K-5 children across 24 program sites in Wake County, North Carolina.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2007
- HeadquartersCary, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Read And Feed does
Read and Feed is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization headquartered in Cary, North Carolina that operates after-school literacy programs combining tutoring, meals, and free book distribution for underserved elementary school children (grades K-5) in Wake County. Founded in 2007, the organization identifies program participants through partnerships with the Wake County Public School System and delivers services at 24 program sites located in schools, churches, and community centers in high-need neighborhoods. In 2023 the organization served 1,543 students, provided 17,215 meals and healthy snacks, and distributed more than 24,000 brand-new books to build home libraries; 78% of participating children reportedly showed improved reading attitude or confidence based on program measurement.
The organization's distinguishing operational asset is a fleet of mobile classroom RVs that bring literacy programming directly into underserved neighborhoods, removing transportation barriers and serving as both a service-delivery platform and a community-engagement tool at events such as Junior League of Raleigh's Touch-a-Truck fundraiser. Programs are delivered by volunteer tutors supported by a small staff of 1–10 employees under Executive Director Sherry Overton Shudra (appointed December 2020). Read and Feed is a registered 501(c)(3) (EIN 20-3246207) and holds a 2018 Points of Light Certification.
Read and Feed's business model is donation-based rather than revenue-generating: there are no products or services sold. Funding sources include individual donations (channeled through an online donation platform powered by GoFundMe/Classy), corporate partnerships (Rita's Italian Ice, Raleigh Wealth Solutions, Johnson Controls, among others), institutional grants (notably the $50,000 GSK IMPACT Award in 2021), and event-based fundraising (Giving Tuesday, matching gift campaigns such as the 2021 Double the Impact effort that raised over $250,000). Distribution occurs through three channels: fixed program sites across Wake County, mobile classroom RVs in neighborhoods, and online donation channels.
Read And Feed firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Read And Feed
- Legal name
- Read and Feed
- Website
- https://www.readandfeed.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2007
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Read and Feed is a Cary, NC-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2007 that runs after-school literacy programs combining tutoring, meals, and free book distribution for underserved K-5 children across 24 program sites in Wake County, North Carolina.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Read And Feed industry classification
Industry- Product category
- After-School Literacy Programs
- NAICS
- Educational Support Services (611710), Educational Services (61)
- SIC
- Services-Educational Services (8200)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Reading & Literacy Centers (Phonics, Comprehension, Writing) (EDANAHAD)
Keywords
Where Read And Feed is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Cary
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
Read And Feed business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Corporate Partnerships: Partnerships with local businesses (Rita's Italian Ice, Raleigh Wealth Solutions, Johnson Controls, etc.) who provide financial support, meals, volunteer tutors, venue space, and other in-kind contributions.
- Grant Funding: Institutional grants such as the GSK IMPACT Award ($50,000 in 2021). Matching gift challenges and year-end campaigns also generate significant revenue (over $250,000 before Christmas in 2021 campaign).
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels6 records
Read And Feed product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Read And Feed operates after-school literacy programs for underserved K-5 children in Wake County, NC, delivering free meals, one-on-one reading tutoring, and take-home books. Programs run at 24 partner sites and via two mobile classroom RVs, directly serving children who attend Title I and other high-need schools.
Product overview
Read and Feed is a nonprofit organization offering a unified after-school literacy and food security program for underserved elementary school children in Wake County, NC. The core offering consists of a literacy program that provides meals, tutoring, and books to children in grades K-5. Key program components include mobile classroom RVs that bring resources directly to neighborhoods, volunteer-based tutoring services, meal and snack provision, and book distribution to build home libraries. The organization was founded in 2007 and serves over 630 students annually at 24 program sites, providing 13,000+ meals and distributing 39,000+ books each year.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- After-School Literacy Program Free after-school program serving K-5 children in Wake County, NC that combines a hot meal, one-on-one reading tutoring with trained volunteers, and take-home books to build literacy skills and reading confidence.
Quantifiable outcome
- 78% of children who attend a Read and Feed program have improved reading attitude or confidence
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use Read And Feed
Customer profileNamed customers10 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Read And Feed technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Read And Feed partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered minor, core and flagship.
- Rita's Italian Ice & Frozen Custard CaryminorPresented $1,000 donation to Read and Feed on May 9, 2024. Owner Jill Brega, former teacher, committed to supporting literacy around Wake County. Read and Feed participated in their grand opening on April 6.
- Raleigh Wealth SolutionsminorDonated $1,000 and hosted book drive for diverse books for children grades K-5. Named Sherry Overton Shudra as February Champion of the Community. Hosted book drive at Junior Canes game on February 23.
- Boys and Girls Club of AmericacoreCommunity partner working with Read and Feed to provide space and support for literacy programs at their locations.
- Carolina HurricanesminorNHL team community partner supporting Read and Feed programs through community engagement.
- Cary Page Rotary ClubcoreService organization partner providing support for Read and Feed literacy programs.
- First United Methodist Church CarycoreProvides space for Read and Feed site location to host literacy and meal programs.
- Johnson ControlsminorCorporate partner supporting Read and Feed through company giving and volunteer programs.
- Junior League of RaleighflagshipLong-term partnership with annual Touch-a-Truck fundraising event. Helps coordinate meals and tutoring at program sites. Multiple community partnerships coordinated through their community fund.
- Milton'sminorLocal restaurant partner providing support for Read and Feed programs.
- San Jose Mexican RestaurantcoreLocal restaurant partner providing meals for site locations in high-need areas.
- Windborne United Methodist ChurchcoreProvides space for Read and Feed site location to host literacy and meal programs.
- Triangle Community FoundationflagshipGSK IMPACT Awards presented in partnership with Triangle Community Foundation in the RTP region. Foundation President & CEO Lori O'Keefe noted importance of GSK partnership for nonprofit capacity support.
Scale indicators10 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Read And Feed competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Book Harvest: Durham, NC-based nonprofit that provides free books to children and families to build home libraries and advance early literacy. Closest geographic peer to Read and Feed, with overlapping book-distribution and family-literacy mission in the same Triangle region.
- Reading Is Fundamental: National nonprofit focused on providing free books and literacy resources to underserved children. Directly comparable mission (book ownership + literacy), with a much larger national footprint and donor base that competes for the same philanthropic dollars.
- Reach Out and Read: National nonprofit that partners with pediatricians to promote early literacy among young children from low-income families. Comparable literacy-for-underserved-children mission, though delivered through a clinical channel rather than after-school sites.
- Dolly Parton's Imagination Library: Book-gifting program that mails free, age-appropriate books to children from birth to age five. Directly comparable book-distribution-for-literacy mission with national scale and brand recognition.
- Raising A Reader: National early-literacy and family-engagement nonprofit that works through partner organizations to provide books and reading routines to young children. Overlapping family-literacy and book-rotation mission.
- Communities In Schools of North Carolina: Statewide affiliate of Communities In Schools that places site coordinators inside public schools to support at-risk students, including after-school programming. Directly comparable wraparound-support-for-underserved-students mission operating in the same NC school system.
Regional players
- Boys & Girls Club of Wake County: After-school programming provider in Wake County that offers literacy, homework help, and meals to school-age children. Read and Feed's listed community partner; overlaps in after-school literacy + meal delivery but at substantially larger scale and as a general youth-development provider.
- United Way of the Greater Triangle: Regional fundraising umbrella that channels corporate and individual donations to Triangle-area nonprofits including education and basic-needs programs. Operates in the same Wake County donor pool as Read and Feed and is a likely funding intermediary rather than direct competitor.
- NC Pre-K / Smart Start of Wake County: Local Smart Start partnership funding NC Pre-K and early-childhood education programs in Wake County. Operates in adjacent early-childhood/early-literacy space serving many of the same low-income Wake County families, with a state-funded rather than donation-funded model.
Others
- Food Bank of Central & Eastern North Carolina: Regional food bank addressing hunger across central and eastern NC. Complementary rather than competitive: Read and Feed's meal program is sourced through local restaurant partners, but the Food Bank is a logical future supplier and shares the food-security mission dimension.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Read And Feed social profiles
Digital presenceRead And Feed compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance2 records
Read And Feed financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Read And Feed leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Read And Feed funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Read And Feed M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Read And Feed
What does Read And Feed do?
Read And Feed operates after-school literacy programs for underserved K-5 children in Wake County, NC, delivering free meals, one-on-one reading tutoring, and take-home books. Programs run at 24 partner sites and via two mobile classroom RVs, directly serving children who attend Title I and other high-need schools.
Is Read And Feed a public or private company?
Read And Feed is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Read And Feed founded?
Read And Feed was founded in 2007. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Read And Feed based?
Read And Feed is headquartered in Cary, United States, in the North America region.
How does Read And Feed make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Corporate Partnerships are the primary driver. The others are grant Funding.
Who are Read And Feed's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Book Harvest, Reading Is Fundamental, Reach Out and Read, Dolly Parton's Imagination Library, Raising A Reader and Communities In Schools of North Carolina. Regional players are Boys & Girls Club of Wake County, United Way of the Greater Triangle and NC Pre-K / Smart Start of Wake County. Food Bank of Central & Eastern North Carolina is listed as an others.
Does Read And Feed have an API?
No public API is recorded for Read And Feed.
What industry is Read And Feed in?
Read And Feed's product category is After-School Literacy Programs. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDANAHAD, Reading & Literacy Centers (Phonics, Comprehension, Writing). Its NAICS code is 611710 and its SIC code is 8200.