The Byron Saunders Foundation: Licking County

What The Byron Saunders Foundation: Licking County does

The Byron Saunders Foundation: Licking County is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, with roots in 1997 and formal incorporation in 2002, dedicated to providing complete Thanksgiving meals to families in need across Central Ohio. The Foundation has scaled from an initial 50 families served to more than 5,000 families in the prior cycle, with an explicit 7,000-family target for 2025 and reported reach of 34,000+ individuals served. Its core product is a standardized Thanksgiving meal package priced at $45 per family of four, underwritten such that 100% of individual donations are directed to meal costs while administrative overhead is covered by corporate sponsors.

Operations are delivered through a chapter-based geographic model spanning approximately 10 to 13 Ohio counties, including dedicated chapters in Franklin, Delaware, Knox, Richland, Union, and Licking counties. Execution relies on a volunteer base of more than 2,000 individuals annually, with a small paid staff of 1-10 employees that handles coordination rather than direct service delivery. The technical footprint is minimal: there is no proprietary platform, no software product, and no AI component — the moat is operational and reputational rather than technological.

The funding model rests on three pillars: individual donations at the $45-per-meal unit, an annual signature fundraiser ("Dancing with Our Columbus Stars"), and corporate sponsorships that explicitly underwrite administrative overhead so that individual contributions remain fully directed to meals. This transparent pass-through structure functions as both a donor-acquisition mechanism and a brand differentiator versus generalist food charities, while concentrating annual revenue risk around the gala event and the corporate underwriting base.

Name

The Byron Saunders Foundation: Licking County

Legal name

The Byron Saunders Foundation

Website

https://thebyronsaundersfoundation.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2002

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Byron Saunders Foundation: Licking County is a 501(c)(3) non-profit that delivers standardized Thanksgiving meals to families in need across 10-13 Central Ohio counties via a volunteer-run chapter model, funded by individual donations ($45 per family of four) and an annual signature gala.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Holiday Meal Assistance

NAICS

Community Food Services (624210), Grantmaking Foundations (813211), Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813)

akta.pro primary industry

Community Foundations (BPAGAKAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Community Fundraisers & Charity Events (Gala/Walks excluded) (MPAGAEAK), Gift Basket & Curated Hamper Assembly (HSACANAD)

Keywords

• Thanksgiving meal assistance
• Holiday food charity
• Community food drives
• Nonprofit meal program
• Charitable fundraising events

Headquarters

HQ city

Thornville

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices6 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Individual Monetary Donations: The foundation receives direct monetary donations from individuals, with 100% of donated funds from individuals going directly to purchasing Thanksgiving meals due to low administrative costs covered by corporate donations. A donation of $45 feeds a family of four.
2. Event Fundraising: Annual Dancing with Our Columbus Stars event generates the largest share of income. Revenue comes from ticket sales ($75 per person), sponsorships at various levels, and table purchases. All money from the event goes directly to buying meals for families in need.
3. Corporate Sponsorships and Matching Gifts: Corporate donations cover administrative costs, enabling 100% of individual donations to go to meals. Many employers sponsor matching gift programs where they match charitable contributions made by employees, potentially doubling or tripling the impact.
4. Retail Loyalty Programs: Partnership with Kroger Community Rewards allows a percentage of purchases to go to the foundation. Melaleuca customers can designate the foundation as their charity. United Way donations can be designated to the foundation.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The Byron Saunders Foundation is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that assembles and distributes complete Thanksgiving meal boxes to low-income families across Central Ohio counties. Each meal box contains traditional Thanksgiving food items (gravy, potatoes, stuffing, vegetables, cranberry sauce, pumpkin, dessert mix, rolls) plus a $20 gift card toward turkey or protein. The foundation is funded entirely through individual donations, corporate sponsorships, food drives, and its annual Dancing with Our Columbus Stars fundraising event, with 100% of individual monetary donations going directly to meal purchases because administrative costs are covered by corporate donors.

Product overview

The Byron Saunders Foundation is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that operates as a charitable meal-assistance program rather than a traditional tech product. Its core offering is Thanksgiving meal boxes distributed to families in need across Central Ohio. The organization supplements its meal program with an annual fundraising event (Dancing with Our Columbus Stars) and community food drives. Services are delivered through a network of county chapters, each coordinating local fundraising and meal distribution. No technology platform, API, or software product is offered—the organization functions as a traditional nonprofit reliant on volunteer coordination, third-party donation platforms, and manual operations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Thanksgiving Meal Boxes Pre-assembled boxes containing Thanksgiving food items including gravy, stuffing, potatoes, yams, corn, green beans, fruit, cranberry sauce, pumpkin, dessert mix, rolls, and evaporated milk, plus a $20 gift card for turkey or protein. The meals are provided at no cost to low-income families across Central Ohio counties regardless of race, status, or religion.
• Dancing with Our Columbus Stars Annual ballroom-style fundraising competition event with general admission tickets at $75 per person, sponsorship tables, and online voting. All proceeds go directly to buying Thanksgiving meals for families in need.
• Food Drive Program Coordinated community food and cash donation drives hosted by partner organizations to source ingredients for the foundation's Thanksgiving meal boxes. Sign-up is handled via online signup tools, and donations are collected during the weeks preceding Thanksgiving.
• County Chapter Network Local county chapters in Franklin, Delaware, Knox, Richland, Union, Licking, Fairfield, Madison, Morgan, Muskingum, Pickaway, Morrow, and Montgomery counties responsible for localized fundraising, food donations, volunteer coordination, and Thanksgiving meal delivery within their respective counties.

Quantifiable outcome

• 34,000+ individuals served in 2025
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• InfraSourceminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate sponsor and partner supporting the foundation's mission. Logo displayed on supporter page.
• PSI (Professional Solutions Insurance)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate sponsor and partner supporting the foundation's mission. Logo displayed on supporter page.
• KrogercoreGTM or Marketing PartnerThrough Kroger Community Rewards program, a percentage of purchases made by shoppers who designate the Byron Saunders Foundation goes to support the organization.
• United Way of Central OhiocoreGTM or Marketing PartnerDonors can designate the Byron Saunders Foundation as their charity to support with their United Way donations.
• MelaleucaminorGTM or Marketing PartnerMelaleuca customers can designate the Byron Saunders Foundation as their charity when making purchases.
• St. Joseph CathedralminorGTM or Marketing PartnerTop Corporate Financial Supporter - provides financial support to the foundation.
• Kraft FoodscoreGTM or Marketing PartnerTop Food Industry Supporter - provides food donations for Thanksgiving meal boxes.
• T Marzetti CocoreGTM or Marketing PartnerTop Food Industry Supporter - provides food donations for Thanksgiving meal boxes.
• NestléminorGTM or Marketing PartnerTop Food Drive Supporter - supports food drives for the foundation.
• Accelerator AdvertisingminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvides website design services for the foundation.
• YMCA's of Central OhiominorGTM or Marketing PartnerFood Distributor partner - assists with distributing meals to families in need.
• Big Brothers/Big Sisters of Central OhiominorGTM or Marketing PartnerFood Distributor partner - assists with distributing meals to families in need.
• Africentric Personal Development Shop (APDS)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerFood Distributor partner - assists with distributing meals to families in need.
• Canal Winchester Food PantryminorGTM or Marketing PartnerFood Distributor partner - assists with distributing meals to families in need.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Mid-Ohio Food Collective: Regional food bank serving the same Central Ohio geography as the Byron Saunders Foundation. Provides year-round food distribution to families in need, directly competing for both donor dollars and volunteer attention in the same 10-county service area.
• The Columbus Foundation: Central Ohio community foundation managing donor-advised funds and grantmaking for regional nonprofits. Comparable as a community-foundation structure serving the same geography and donor base, with overlapping beneficiary networks.

Emerging players

• Food Rescue US: National nonprofit focused on food recovery and direct distribution to families in need. Comparable mission around food insecurity and volunteer-driven logistics model, though operating through a different geographic and technology-enabled model.
• Catholic Charities of Central Ohio: Faith-based social services organization operating in Central Ohio with food assistance among its programs. Comparable donor pool (some of the same corporate partners) and beneficiary population, with broader service offerings.

Regional players

• The Foodbank, Inc. (Dayton): Regional food bank serving the Dayton area of Ohio. Comparable in operational model (food distribution, donor-driven, volunteer-supported) and scale tier, though geographically distinct from Byron Saunders' Central Ohio footprint.
• Greater Cleveland Food Bank: Regional food bank serving Northeast Ohio with similar food-distribution and hunger-relief mission. Comparable in operating model (food boxes, partner network, donor-driven) though in a different region of the state.
• Akron-Canton Regional Foodbank: Regional food bank serving Summit, Stark, and surrounding counties in Ohio. Comparable in mission, model, and scale tier, but operating in a different Ohio region.

Broad incumbents

• Feeding America: National umbrella organization for food banks and a dominant force in U.S. hunger-relief fundraising and corporate partnerships. Comparable in mission (food insecurity) and donor pool, though at vastly larger scale and with year-round programming.
• The Salvation Army of Central Ohio: Operates holiday meal and year-round food assistance programs in Central Ohio. Comparable in serving the same geography and beneficiary population, with broader programming and significantly larger organizational scale and donor base.

Others

• United Way of Central Ohio: Workplace-giving platform that the Byron Saunders Foundation leverages as a designated recipient for donor contributions. Functions as both a funding channel and a quasi-peer for community-fundraising competition across multiple nonprofits in the region.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-byron-saunders-foundation

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about The Byron Saunders Foundation: Licking County