What Second Helpings, Inc. does

Second Helpings, Inc. is an Indianapolis-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in April 1998 by chefs Kristen Kienker, Jean Paison, and Bob Koch after a visit to DC Central Kitchen. It operates three integrated programs that address hunger and unemployment simultaneously: Food Rescue collects surplus prepared and perishable food from donors including grocery stores, wholesalers, hotels, and caterers; Hunger Relief transforms that food in an industrial production kitchen into nutritious meals; and Culinary Job Training is a free 7-week workforce program that prepares unemployed and underemployed adults for culinary careers. The organization serves Central Indiana through more than 100 (and in recent references, 182+) partner social service agencies that distribute meals to children, seniors, veterans, homeless individuals, and families. Since inception it has rescued nearly 48 million pounds of food and delivered more than 19 million meals, with annual throughput exceeding 3 million pounds rescued and more than 1 million meals delivered, including a record 105,520 meals in June 2024. Additional programs include Food in Transit (a year-round mobile distribution partnership with IndyGo) and Camp Second Helpings (a youth volunteer program).

The operating technology consists of an industrial Hunger Relief production kitchen, a separate dedicated Culinary Job Training training kitchen, and a Food Rescue and Transportation fleet of 11 vans and trucks covering more than 100,000 miles annually across Central Indiana. A new 14,000-square-foot warehouse opening January 21, 2026 will expand physical capacity adjacent to the existing Eugene and Marilyn Glick Center at 1121 Southeastern Ave. Volunteer coordination runs on the Galaxy Digital platform, and donor/recipient management is handled through conventional nonprofit CRM and event tools. The Culinary Job Training curriculum covers knife skills, cooking techniques, food safety, kitchen teamwork, resume writing, interview preparation, and financial literacy, with uniform, textbook, and transportation support provided to remove cost barriers.

The revenue model is donation- and grant-driven rather than transactional. Income is sourced from individual monthly and one-time donations, corporate sponsorships and grants (Oak Motors for ~20 years, Kroger as Corks & Forks presenting sponsor, The Heritage Group matching up to $50,000), special events (Corks & Forks, Gr8 Pasta Push, Souper Bowls, Tonic Ball), a Legacy Society planned giving program with charitable gift annuities and bequests through FreeWill, and large in-kind food donations that are valued for tax-deduction purposes and converted into meal output. The recipient pricing model is effectively freemium/free: Culinary Job Training is free to students with all materials supplied, meals are delivered free to partner social service agencies, and food donors receive no payment but tax-deduction documentation. Customer concentration on the donation side skews toward a small number of large food donors (Sysco, US Foods, Kroger, JW Marriott) and a handful of long-tenured corporate sponsors, while the distribution side is intentionally diversified across 100+ to 200+ partner agencies to reach end beneficiaries. Leadership is headed by CEO Linda Broadfoot, with COO Cory Kloep and Chief Relationship Officer Katie Prine, and the organization reports a 4-Star Charity Navigator rating and Candid Platinum Transparency 2025 certification.

Name

Second Helpings, Inc.

Legal name

Second Helpings, Inc.

Website

https://secondhelpings.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1998

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Second Helpings, Inc. is an Indianapolis 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1998 that rescues surplus food, prepares it into free meals for social service agencies across Central Indiana, and runs a free 7-week Culinary Job Training program for unemployed adults.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Hunger Relief and Food Rescue Services

NAICS

Community Food Services (62421), Community Food and Housing, and Emergency and Other Relief Services (6242), Emergency and Other Relief Services (624230)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Food Assistance & Food Banks (BPAGAEAA)

Keywords

• Food rescue services
• Hunger relief programs
• Culinary job training
• Food waste reduction
• Community meal delivery

Headquarters

HQ city

Indianapolis

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: General donations from individual supporters, including monthly recurring gifts and one-time contributions. Melissa Young was highlighted as a long-time monthly donor.
2. Corporate Sponsorships and Grants: Financial support from corporate partners like Oak Motors (nearly 20 years), Kroger (presenting sponsor for Corks & Forks), and The Heritage Group (matching donations up to $50,000).
3. Special Events: Annual fundraising events including Corks & Forks, Gr8 Pasta Push, Souper Bowls, and Tonic Ball generate donations and community engagement.
4. Planned Giving and Legacy Gifts: Legacy Society planned giving program including charitable gift annuities (like the Ekhaus gift), bequests through FreeWill, and other planned giving vehicles.
5. Food Donations (In-Kind): Rescued food from grocery stores, wholesalers, caterers, and food service operators that is transformed into meals, representing significant in-kind value.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Second Helpings operates three integrated programs: Food Rescue collects surplus prepared and perishable food from grocery stores, wholesalers, caterers, and food service operators; Hunger Relief transforms that rescued food into nutritious homemade meals delivered to more than 100 social service partner agencies across Central Indiana; and Culinary Job Training provides a free 7-week workforce program teaching cooking techniques, food safety, and life skills to unemployed and underemployed adults seeking careers in the food service industry.

Product overview

Second Helpings operates three integrated core programs that work together to fight hunger from all angles: Food Rescue collects surplus food from donors; Hunger Relief transforms that food into nutritious meals delivered to partner agencies; and Culinary Job Training provides free culinary education to adults seeking careers in food service. The organization also runs Food in Transit (mobile food distribution with IndyGo) and Camp Second Helpings (youth volunteer program).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Hunger Relief

Quantifiable outcome

• Rescued nearly 48 million pounds of food since 1998
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core, strategic and minor.

• KrogercoreGTM or Marketing PartnerFood donor since 2004, has donated more than 2.5 million pounds of food. Currently 18 Kroger stores are scheduled for weekly pickups. Kroger is also a generous financial donor, serving as presenting sponsor for the annual Corks & Forks event and providing matching gift opportunity for the Gr8 Pasta Push. Every Marion County Kroger location serves as a public pasta drop-off site during the Gr8 Pasta Push campaign.
• SyscocoreOthersFood donor since 1999, has donated more than 4 million pounds of food. Provides bulk food items that Second Helpings couldn't afford to purchase elsewhere.
• US FoodscoreOthersFood donor since 1999, has donated more than 10 million pounds of food. Provides bulk food items that Second Helpings couldn't afford to purchase elsewhere.
• JW Marriott IndianapoliscoreOthersFood donor since 2011, has donated nearly 150,000 pounds of food. Also a frequent employer of Culinary Job Training graduates.
• IndyGocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative program called 'Food in Transit' bringing free grocery staples and produce directly to IndyGo riders and downtown residents. Distribution takes place at the Julia M. Carson Transit Center (201 E. Washington St.) every second and fourth Tuesday. Originally launched as a winter pilot in December and expanded to year-round service.
• WISH-TVcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerMedia partner for the annual Gr8 Pasta Push campaign. WISH-TV helps promote the community-wide dried pasta drive running June 4-18 each year.
• Oak MotorsstrategicGTM or Marketing PartnerLong-time supporter for nearly 20 years. Family-owned used car dealership with five locations in Indianapolis, Anderson, and Muncie. Contributed more than $900,000 to various organizations across central Indiana since 2012. Currently sponsoring Culinary Job Training Class #160.
• Cathedral KitchencoreOthersFeeding ministry of Saints Peter and Paul Cathedral. Has served Second Helpings meals since 1999, currently receives approximately 1,400 meals each week. Has received more than 550,000 meals over the 24-year partnership.
• 502 East Event CenterminorOthersFood donor providing prepared food that Second Helpings redistributes, adding variety to meals sent to partner agencies.
• Eli Lilly and CompanystrategicOthersEmployees volunteer through quarterly visits as work crews. Several employees have become long-term individual volunteers after participating through company programs.
• Ivy Tech Community College IndianapolisstrategicStrategic or Co-development PartnerHospitality program has committed to hosting every Culinary Job Training class for field trips, exposing students to educational pathways in culinary arts.
• President Benjamin Harrison Presidential SiteminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHost venue for the Juneteenth Foodways Festival where CJT students and chefs participate in demonstrations.

Scale indicators24 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• God's Love We Deliver: NYC-based nonprofit that cooks and home-delivers medically tailored meals to people living with serious illness. Comparable peer in meal preparation and delivery infrastructure serving vulnerable populations, though serving a different client segment.
• DC Central Kitchen: Washington DC-based nonprofit operating the same integrated 'food rescue + hunger relief + culinary job training' model that inspired Second Helpings' founding in 1998. The closest direct peer in mission, structure, and program mix.
• Martha's Kitchen: San Jose, California-based nonprofit providing meals and food assistance to those in need. Comparable peer in meal preparation and direct distribution to vulnerable populations, with a similarly integrated community volunteer model.
• Food Recovery Network: National college-campus-based food recovery organization that rescues surplus food and donates it to communities in need. Direct comparable in the food rescue mission, though its volunteer base is student-driven rather than community-driven.

Others

• WhyHunger: National nonprofit supporting grassroots hunger relief and food justice organizations through grants, advocacy, and the National Hunger Hotline. Adjacent ecosystem participant that channels funding and referrals to community-based food assistance organizations like Second Helpings.

Broad incumbents

• Houston Food Bank: One of the largest food banks in the US, distributing food through a wide partner network. Comparable in scale of food distribution and partner agency relationships, though operating a broader food bank model rather than meal preparation.
• Meals on Wheels America: National network supporting community-based meal delivery programs serving seniors. Comparable in the meal delivery-to-vulnerable-populations mission, though focused on senior nutrition rather than the broader food insecure population Second Helpings serves.
• Feeding America: National umbrella network of 200+ food banks. Relevant incumbent for benchmarking scale and donor relationships, though Feeding America's core model is food banking rather than meal preparation and workforce training.

Regional players

• Gleaners Food Bank of Indiana: Indianapolis-area food bank serving multiple Indiana counties. Regional peer that competes for donor dollars and food donor relationships in the same Central Indiana geography, though its model is distribution-focused rather than meal preparation plus training.

Emerging players

• Food Rescue US: National technology-enabled food rescue platform connecting food donors directly with local agencies and volunteers. Overlaps with Second Helpings' Food Rescue function and represents a more scalable, less capital-intensive alternative model.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/SecondHelpings
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UChDk947Q7cqFEoHnOkycwBw
• Facebookfacebook.com/secondhelpings
• Instagraminstagram.com/secondhelpingsindy
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/secondhelpings

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles17 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 Second Helpings, Inc.