South King County Food Coalition

What South King County Food Coalition does

The South King County Food Coalition (SKCFC) is a Washington State nonprofit founded in 1983 (with one source citing 1985) that coordinates food access programs across 16 member food banks serving South King County communities including Auburn, Des Moines, Kent, Maple Valley, Federal Way, Renton, Tukwila, Vashon, and White Center. The Coalition does not distribute food directly to end beneficiaries; instead, it functions as an administrative, fundraising, and logistics intermediary that pools resources for its member pantries. Its core programs include the Emergency Food Assistance Program (EFAP, where SKCFC is one of three lead agencies for King County's state allocation), Elk Run Farm (a 4.5-acre produce farm in Maple Valley started in 2015), King County Farmers Share (direct procurement from local farms), the Coalition Truck (shared 20-foot refrigerated delivery logistics serving six agencies and eight programs), Seed Libraries (launched winter 2023), and Increasing Healthy Options (PICH-funded healthy eating cohort). Annually, member food banks distribute 8.4 million pounds of food, with 2.8 million pounds transported via the Coalition truck.

The Coalition operates with a small staff of 3-10, led by Executive Director Barb Houston (also Associate Director of Des Moines Area Food Bank), Program Coordinator Maggie Rickman, and Elk Run Farm Manager Jillian Hirst Johns. Its underlying technology stack is minimal: a WordPress website at skcfc.org, a GiveLively donation portal, and standard email channels; no proprietary software, AI/ML systems, or mobile applications are deployed. Strategic partnerships underpin operations: Washington State Department of Agriculture (EFAP administration), Harvest Against Hunger (Farmer Share and Seed Libraries), Food Lifeline and Northwest Harvest (food sourcing), Public Health - Seattle & King County (PICH funding), and the Multi-Service Center in Federal Way (fiscal agent for the Transportation Project).

The Coalition's revenue model is grant-and-donation based, with no fees charged to end beneficiaries. Primary inflows are Washington State EFAP funds (passed through to sub-agencies), federal PICH pass-through funds, individual tax-deductible donations, and per-trip cost-share contributions from agencies participating in the Transportation Project. The Multi-Service Center serves as fiscal sponsor for the truck program. Pricing and contract economics for the member food banks are largely cost-recovery via shared logistics. End customer segments are geographically defined: low-income families and individuals experiencing food insecurity across South King County's diverse urban and suburban communities, served through member pantries rather than directly by the Coalition.

Name

South King County Food Coalition

Legal name

South King County Food Coalition

Website

https://skcfc.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1985

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

South King County Food Coalition is a Washington nonprofit that coordinates food access across 16 member food banks in South King County via shared logistics (Coalition Truck), a 4.5-acre farm (Elk Run Farm), local farm procurement (King County Farmers Share), and state EFAP lead-agency administration, serving low-income residents through partner pantries.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Food Assistance Services

NAICS

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

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Agricultural Services (700)

akta.pro primary industry

Food Assistance & Food Banks (BPAGAEAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Sustainable Agriculture & Food Systems (BPAGAGAI), Food & Nutrition Assistance Programs (BPAIAKAF)

Keywords

• Food bank coalition
• Emergency food assistance
• Hunger relief services
• Community food access
• Food security programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Maple Valley

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Supply Chain, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Government Grants (EFAP): Emergency Food Assistance Program (EFAP) is a state-funded program administered through WSDA that supports local emergency food providers with flexible funding for food purchases, operational costs, nutrition training, and equipment.
2. Federal PICH Funds: Partnerships to Improve Community Health (PICH) federal funds received through Public Health — Seattle & King County for increasing access to healthy environments and food access programs.
3. Donations: Tax-deductible donations from community members supporting food security initiatives across South King County.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

South King County Food Coalition is a nonprofit coalition of 16 member food banks that coordinates and supports food access programs across South King County, Washington. It delivers programs including the Emergency Food Assistance Program (EFAP), Elk Run Farm, King County Farmers Share (KCFS), the Coalition Truck transportation project, Seed Libraries, and the Increasing Healthy Options initiative, providing resources, advocacy, and shared standards to expand food access for low-income communities.

Product overview

The South King County Food Coalition operates as a nonprofit food assistance network offering a unified portfolio of programs. The core offering includes the Emergency Food Assistance Program (EFAP) as the state-funded anchor program, supplemented by food access initiatives including Elk Run Farm (4.5-acre produce farm), King County Farmers Share (local farm-to-food-bank purchasing), Seed Libraries (seed distribution), Coalition Truck (shared transportation logistics), and Increasing Healthy Options (healthy eating cohort). These programs work together to increase emergency food supply, strengthen distribution capacity, and promote equitable food access across 16 member food banks in South King County.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Emergency Food Assistance Program (EFAP)
• Elk Run Farm
• King County Farmers Share (KCFS)
• Coalition Truck Transportation Project
• Seed Libraries
• Increasing Healthy Options

Quantifiable outcome

• Coalition food banks distribute 8.4 million pounds of food annually, with 2.8 million pounds (33%) delivered via Coalition truck
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers16 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles2 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 core and minor.

• Maple Valley Food Bank and Emergency ServicescoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2023Pilot site for Seed Library Program launched March 2023. Distributed thousands of seed packets spanning dozens of food and flower types.
• Windy Acre FarmcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2022Local farm in Kent, WA participating in King County Farmers Share program. Coalition purchases produce directly from farm for distribution to food banks.
• Faith Beyond FarmcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2022Local farm located in Enumclaw, WA participating in King County Farmers Share program. Coalition purchases produce directly from farm for distribution to food banks.
• Namuna GrowerscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2022Local farm in Kent, WA participating in King County Farmers Share program. Coalition purchases produce directly from farm for distribution to food banks.
• Harvest Against Hunger (formerly Rotary First Harvest)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2018Partnership through WSDA's Farm to Food Pantry program. Coalition staff contracts with local farmers to purchase produce for member food banks. Also partnered for Seed Library Program launched in winter 2023.
• Public Health — Seattle & King CountycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2015As part of Partnerships to Improve Community Health (PICH), the Coalition received federal funds to participate in regional movement to increase access to healthy environments. Coalition participated in Health Eating cohort.
• Seattle Children's HospitalcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2015Partner in PICH funding initiative focused on increasing access to healthy environments and reducing health disparities in King County.
• Healthy King County CoalitioncoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2015Partner in PICH awards and Healthy Communities work to increase equitable food access in King County.
• Washington State Department of Agriculture (WSDA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWSDA Food Assistance staff manages EFAP program. South King County Food Coalition serves as one of three lead agencies for King County EFAP allocation. WSDA Food Assistance contacts include Kim Eads (Program Manager) and Mike Hatada (Food Assistance Specialist).
• Food LifelinecoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorFood source for Transportation Project. Coalition truck picks up donated food from Food Lifeline and delivers to member food banks.
• Northwest HarvestcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorFood source for Transportation Project. Coalition truck picks up donated food from Northwest Harvest for distribution to member food banks.
• Multi-Service Center (MSC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMSC is the fiscal agent of the Transportation Project and primary owner and caretaker of the Coalition truck. Located in Federal Way.
• Tahoma High SchoolminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEducation partnership with Elk Run Farm. Students participate in education programs and on-farm learning at the farm.
• Solid GroundminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCOVID-19 resource partner providing links to food, housing, utilities, jobs, public benefits, and translated resources.
• OneAmericaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCOVID-19 resource partner for immigrants and non-English speaking communities providing translated coronavirus resources.
• Washington Food CoalitionminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerStatewide food coalition providing updates on food bank closures and changes in hours/service during COVID-19 pandemic.
• Food Lifeline (COVID resource)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInteractive map of food resources across Washington state for those impacted by COVID-19 pandemic.

Scale indicators6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Feeding America: National hunger-relief network of food banks with which Northwest Harvest and Food Lifeline are affiliated. Comparable in mission and member-network model at vastly larger scale, providing indirect upstream supply for SKCFC's distribution partners.
• United Way of King County: Major King County funder and convener of social services including hunger relief. Comparable in regional coordination and grantmaking role, though operates across many cause areas rather than specializing in food access.

Regional players

• Solid Ground: Seattle-based anti-poverty nonprofit and listed COVID-19 resource partner of SKCFC. Comparable in multi-service social support model (food, housing, benefits navigation) though with a broader mission and Seattle-centric footprint.
• Hopelink: King County social services nonprofit operating food banks primarily in North and East King County, with adjacent service lines including housing and emergency assistance. Comparable in scale and multi-program structure, though geographically complementary rather than overlapping.

Direct peers

• Washington Food Coalition: Statewide trade association for food banks and meal programs in Washington. Directly comparable coalition/advocacy model to SKCFC but operating at a state policy level rather than a regional service level.
• Northwest Harvest: Washington state's largest food bank distributor and a sourcing partner of SKCFC's Coalition Truck. Operates statewide hunger-relief logistics comparable in mission and donor/wholesale relationships, making it the most direct peer for SKCFC's distribution-side activity.
• Harvest Against Hunger (Rotary First Harvest): Washington-based farm gleaning and food rescue organization and direct program partner of SKCFC's KCFS and Seed Library initiatives. Closely comparable mission connecting farms and food banks, and partnership overlap makes it a natural peer for SKCFC's farm-to-pantry work.
• White Center Food Bank: One of SKCFC's 16 member food banks serving the White Center area. Comparable as an independent food bank distribution hub, though smaller and purely operational rather than coalition-coordinating.
• Des Moines Area Food Bank: Member food bank of SKCFC and employer of SKCFC's Executive Director. Closely comparable food distribution activity at single-site scale, illustrating the coalition's grassroots member base.
• Food Lifeline: Seattle-based food distribution nonprofit and active Coalition Truck pickup partner. Functions as a wholesale hunger-relief hub that pools and redistributes donated food, directly comparable to SKCFC's aggregation/distribution model though at a larger scale.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/south-king-county-food-coalition

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about South King County Food Coalition