The Volunteer Way Inc

What The Volunteer Way Inc does

The Volunteer Way, Inc. is a faith-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit hunger relief organization headquartered at 8061 Congress St, Port Richey, Florida, founded in March 1992 by Lester and Hilda Cypher. It serves approximately 25,000 families per month across Pasco County, Hernando County, and surrounding areas, distributing millions of pounds of food annually free of charge through a portfolio of programs: the Congress Street Food Pantry, the Moon Lake Mission soup kitchen and comprehensive service center, the Brown Bag for Seniors home delivery program, and a Mobile Food Program reaching food desert areas in partnership with Pasco County government. The organization operates five physical locations and maintains an on-site hydroponic farm (1.5 acres on a 6.89-acre tract donated by the Parker family in 2008) that produces fresh vegetables year-round, including tomatoes, lettuce, beans, and peppers, supplementing its donated non-perishable food supply.

The organization's technology and physical infrastructure is built around direct service delivery: a hydroponic farming system producing thousands of pounds of fresh produce annually, walk-in food pantries, mobile food delivery vehicles, a soup kitchen, showers, free clothing closets, a chapel, and a HOPE Resource Center providing SNAP applications, Medicare/Medicaid assistance, ID verification, and job search support. Core operational technology is limited to the hydroponic farm, a website, and a Facebook social media presence; no AI/ML, proprietary software platforms, APIs, or mobile applications are in evidence. Strategic partners include Feeding Tampa Bay, United Way of Pasco County, USDA, Publix Charities, Sprouts Farmers Market, Suncoast Credit Union, ArchWell Health, the Pasco County Mobile Medical Care Unit, and the Coalition for the Homeless of Pasco County, creating an integrated social services ecosystem.

The business model is purely donation-funded: as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization (Tax ID 59-3555687, Florida Registration #CH10304), The Volunteer Way relies on donations from individuals, businesses, sponsors, and community partners, and claims that 99% of donations reach people in need. All services are provided free of charge to recipients. The organization is governed by a Board of Directors chaired by co-founder Lester Cypher and led operationally by CEO Jeannine Xanthopoulos, with department managers overseeing Non-Food Products, Fleet/Warehouse, Community Impact, and the Hydroponic Farm. The organization follows USDA Non-Discrimination policy and operates exclusively within the USA, with no disclosed revenue figures, headcount, or financial performance metrics.

Name

The Volunteer Way Inc

Legal name

The Volunteer Way, Inc.

Website

https://thevolunteerway.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1992

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Volunteer Way is a faith-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit hunger relief organization founded in 1992 in Port Richey, Florida, serving approximately 25,000 families monthly across Pasco and Hernando counties through food pantries, a soup kitchen, a hydroponic farm, mobile food distribution, and senior delivery programs funded entirely by charitable donations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Hunger Relief & Food Assistance Services

NAICS

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

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Faith-Based Social Services & Community Outreach (Food Pantries, Shelters, Counseling) (BPAGAJAG)

akta.pro secondary industry

Food Assistance & Safety Nets (In-Kind, Vouchers, Cash Transfers) (BPADAJAA)

Keywords

• Food pantry services
• Hunger relief programs
• Community food distribution
• Hydroponic farm produce
• Mobile food delivery

Headquarters

HQ city

New Port Richey

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Donations and charitable contributions: The organization operates as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit relying on donations from individuals, businesses, and community partners to fund food distribution operations. All services are provided free of charge to recipients.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels1 record

Core offering

The Volunteer Way is a faith-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit that distributes millions of pounds of food annually free of charge to approximately 25,000 families each month in Pasco, Hernando, and surrounding counties. It operates a Congress Street Food Pantry, a year-round hydroponic vegetable farm, a soup kitchen at Moon Lake Mission, the Brown Bag for Seniors monthly delivery program, and a Mobile Food Program that serves food desert areas.

Product overview

The Volunteer Way is a faith-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit hunger relief organization offering a portfolio of food security and community support services. The core offering consists of the Congress Street Food Pantry for direct food distribution, a hydroponic farm producing fresh vegetables year-round, the Moon Lake Mission providing a soup kitchen and comprehensive support services, and the Brown Bag for Seniors monthly delivery program. A mobile food program extends reach into underserved food desert areas. All programs are volunteer-powered and serve approximately 25,000 families monthly across Pasco, Hernando, and surrounding counties, distributing millions of pounds of food free of charge. The organization operates from its main warehouse at 8061 Congress St, Port Richey, FL and maintains multiple satellite locations including the Moon Lake Mission facility.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Congress Street Food Pantry Walk-in food pantry at 8061 Congress St, Port Richey, FL distributing donated and locally grown food, clothing, personal care, and household items free of charge to individuals and families in need. Open Monday-Friday 8:30am-12:00pm.
• Moon Lake Mission Comprehensive service center at 10008-10012 Moon Lake Rd, New Port Richey, FL offering a soup kitchen (Mon-Sat 10am-12pm), free clothing closet, showers, chapel services, pastoral care, HOPE Resource Center providing SNAP/Medicare/Medicaid assistance, and Al-Anon meetings.
• Brown Bag for Seniors Monthly food delivery program for low-income, homebound, and disabled seniors in Pasco County, delivering 60-80 pounds of food and personal items during the third week of each month. Includes the Animeals pet food program for cat and dog owners.
• Mobile Food Program Mobile food pantry delivering food to food desert areas in Pasco County identified through the Pasco County Administrators' office, reaching areas where hunger exists but access to food is limited.
• Hydroponic Farm A 1.5-acre soil-free hydroponic farm producing thousands of pounds annually of fresh organic vegetables (tomatoes, lettuce, beans, peppers) year-round for distribution to low-income and homeless families served at the food pantry.

Quantifiable outcome

• Assists 25,000 families every month with food and personal items
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Pasco CountycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPasco County government enables The Volunteer Way to provide services to homeless and low-income individuals. The county has identified food desert areas for mobile food distribution and hosts the Mobile Medical Care Unit at Moon Lake Mission.
• Feeding Tampa BaycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFeeding Tampa Bay is listed as a sponsor, providing food sourcing and distribution support as part of the regional food bank network.
• United Way of Pasco CountycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUnited Way of Pasco County is a sponsor providing funding and community support to The Volunteer Way's hunger relief programs.
• USDAcoreOthersUSDA provides food commodities and support through federal nutrition programs. The organization follows USDA Non-Discrimination policy.
• Sprouts Farmers MarketminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSponsor providing fresh produce donations to supplement food distribution.
• ArchWell HealthminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHealthcare partner providing services at Moon Lake Mission facility.
• Coalition for the Homeless of Pasco CountyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organization working together on homeless services and advocacy in Pasco County.
• Pasco County Mobile Medical Care UnitminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerVisits Moon Lake Mission once a month providing free medical checkups and prescriptions to uninsured residents.
• Digital LightbridgeminorGTM or Marketing PartnerMarketing partner providing digital marketing services for the organization.
• Michels LundquistminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBusiness partnership in the People Helping People Circle of Giving program.
• The Palermo GroupminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBusiness partnership in the People Helping People Circle of Giving program.
• Full Circle FinancialminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBusiness partnership in the People Helping People Circle of Giving program.
• Pastor Henry BecoatminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity supporter and Director/Liaison to Faith-Based Community. Leads Little Lake Chapel at Moon Lake Mission.
• Kelly SteenminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity supporter for the People Helping People Circle of Giving program.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Feeding America (national network): National hunger-relief organization whose affiliate network (including Feeding Tampa Bay) supports local pantries like TVW. Establishes the broader ecosystem in which TVW operates and sources food.
• St. Vincent de Paul CARES: Faith-based nonprofit network operating food pantries and assistance programs across Florida including the Tampa Bay region. Comparable faith-rooted model and food-pantry focus, but larger footprint and broader service array.
• Catholic Charities Diocese of St. Petersburg: Regional Catholic Charities affiliate operating food pantries, emergency assistance, and case management across the same Florida Gulf Coast counties as TVW. Comparable faith-based service delivery model.
• Salvation Army Tampa Area Command: Large established nonprofit providing food pantries, soup kitchens, and shelter services across the Tampa Bay region. Offers overlapping services to the same at-risk populations but operates at significantly greater scale with a broader service portfolio.

Direct peers

• Meals on Wheels of Pasco: Pasco County nonprofit providing home-delivered meals to homebound seniors, directly mirroring TVW's Brown Bag for Seniors program for the same population and geography.
• Feeding Tampa Bay: Regional food bank serving the Tampa Bay area including Pasco County and a named sponsor of The Volunteer Way. Operates food distribution, pantries, and mobile programs targeting the same food-insecure population.
• Trinity Cafe: Tampa faith-based soup kitchen serving hot meals to food-insecure and homeless individuals. Comparable to TVW's Moon Lake Mission soup kitchen in service model and target population.
• Metropolitan Ministries: Tampa-based faith-inspired nonprofit providing food, shelter, and case management to homeless and low-income families in the same Tampa Bay region as TVW. Directly comparable in mission, faith orientation, and integrated services model.

Regional players

• United Way Suncoast: Regional United Way affiliate covering Pasco, Hernando, and surrounding counties; both a funding partner and a federated-giving intermediary that distributes dollars to similar hunger-relief nonprofits in the same service area.
• Good Samaritan Ministries of Pasco: Faith-based Pasco County nonprofit providing food, clothing, and emergency assistance to low-income and homeless residents. Comparable faith-rooted, community-based service model in the same geography.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/TheVolunteerWayInc
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-volunteer-way

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles14 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 The Volunteer Way Inc