Helena Food Share

What Helena Food Share does

Helena Food Share is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit food bank founded in 1987 and headquartered at 1280 Boulder Ave in Helena, Montana, where it operates the new Community Food Resource Center opened in 2024. The organization distributes donated food to community members facing food insecurity through a retail-style Grocery Share Market — with no income requirements — alongside specialized programs including Kid Packs (delivered to local elementary students each week), Senior Commodity Distribution, Emergency Food Packs, and an on-site Garden Farm Stand. In 2023, it served 8,776 neighbors and distributed nearly 1.8 million pounds of food across 86,400 total services, a 2,600%+ increase in service volume since 2001. Supporting programs include nutrition education (Charlie Cart, Harvest of the Month, recipe resources), SNAP enrollment assistance, and a community room hosting financial literacy and early-literacy programming through institutional partners.

The business model is donation-funded and diversified across individual giving (including a recurring "Hunger Hero" monthly program), a $12.1 million capital campaign nearing completion, planned giving and estate gifts, and corporate/event sponsorships (NorthWestern Energy, MTN Title, Safeway, Blackfoot River Brewing, etc.), with additional support from foundations (Otto Bremer Trust, M.J. Murdock Charitable Trust, Montana Community Foundation) and government sources (City of Helena, Lewis & Clark County, Montana Department of Commerce, Federal Home Loan Bank, US Treasury/CDFI Fund). Distribution runs through three channels: walk-in access at the Grocery Share Market, school-based delivery via Kid Packs, and senior commodity programs. The technology stack is a standard food bank and pantry management system with no disclosed proprietary AI/ML components, supported by a website, email newsletter, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and YouTube for community engagement. The organization operates with 11–50 staff, supplemented by 1,200+ volunteer hours per month, and is governed by a Board of Directors.

Name

Helena Food Share

Legal name

Helena Food Share Inc.

Website

https://helenafoodshare.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1987

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Helena Food Share is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit food bank in Helena, Montana that operates a Grocery Share Market, Kid Packs school program, and Senior Commodity Distribution from its new Community Food Resource Center to address local food insecurity.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Food Bank Services

NAICS

Community Food Services (62421), Community Food Services (624210)

SIC

Retail-Food Stores (5400)

akta.pro primary industry

Food Assistance & Food Banks (BPAGAEAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Community-Owned / Nonprofit Grocery Stores (CRAHALAB), Food & Nutrition Assistance Programs (BPAIAKAF)

Keywords

• Food bank services
• Food assistance programs
• Hunger relief services
• Community food pantry
• Nonprofit food distribution

Headquarters

HQ city

Helena

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: Recurring monthly giving program ('Hunger Hero' monthly donations) and one-time gifts from individual donors supporting food programs
2. Capital Campaign: Capital campaign for Community Food Resource Center with goal of $12.1 million, currently closing out with ~$150K remaining
3. Planned Giving and Estate Gifts: Legacy gifts, IRA rollovers, gifts of stock, donor-advised funds, and planned giving options
4. Corporate and Event Sponsorships: Sponsorships of specific food programs or events by businesses, churches, and civic organizations

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Helena Food Share is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit food bank that distributes donated food and operates market-style food assistance programs for people facing food insecurity in Helena, Montana. Its core offering is the Grocery Share Market, a walk-in retail-style facility where community members shop weekly at no cost with no income requirements, alongside Kid Packs for schoolchildren, Senior Commodity Distribution, and emergency food assistance.

Product overview

Helena Food Share operates as a unified nonprofit food assistance organization offering multiple interconnected programs through its Community Food Resource Center. The core offering is the Grocery Share Market, where visitors access fresh produce, deli items, frozen products, and bread without income requirements. Supporting programs include Kid Packs for schoolchildren, Senior Commodity Distribution, Emergency Food Packs, and a Garden Farm Stand. Additional services include SNAP benefits assistance, community room rentals, and nutrition education programs such as Charlie Cart, Harvest of the Month, and the Eat Well & Share recipe platform. All programs are coordinated through the centralized 1280 Boulder Ave facility.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Grocery Share Market A walk-in, retail-style food market where community members shop weekly at no cost with no income requirements for fresh produce, deli items, frozen products, bread, baked goods, and monthly supplemental canned goods, dairy, meat, and grains.
• Kid Packs Weekend food packs distributed weekly to local elementary school students to ensure they have nutritious meals when school meals are unavailable.
• Senior Commodity Distribution Monthly distribution of USDA commodity foods to qualifying seniors aged 60 and older.
• Garden Farm Stand On-site garden with a farm stand where volunteers grow fresh produce for customers, providing educational opportunities for home gardening.
• Emergency Food Packs Prepackaged food supplies available for individuals and families facing immediate food needs.
• Community Room Rental space at the Community Food Resource Center available for community use, nutrition classes, and educational programs.
• Nutrition Education Programs Educational programs including Charlie Cart (mobile cooking cart), Harvest of the Month (seasonal produce education), and Eat Well & Share Recipes to teach nutrition and food preparation skills to community members.
• SNAP Resources Information and assistance connecting eligible individuals and families with Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits.

Quantifiable outcome

• 8,776 neighbors served in 2023 with nearly 1.8 million lbs of food
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles4 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 minor and core.

• Blackfoot River Brewing CompanyminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 22 September 2025Community giveback events where $1 from every beer sold donated to solar panel fund at new Community Food Resource Center
• NorthWestern EnergycoreGTM or Marketing PartnerCampaign and event sponsor supporting the Community Food Resource Center capital campaign and organizational programs
• Northwestern EnergycoreGTM or Marketing PartnerCampaign and event sponsor for the Community Food Resource Center
• MTN TitlecoreGTM or Marketing PartnerCampaign sponsor for the Community Food Resource Center capital campaign
• Montana Radio CompanyminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCampaign sponsor providing marketing and radio support
• SOVRNminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCampaign sponsor for Community Food Resource Center
• GardenWerkscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner for garden and farm stand programs; provides fresh produce for customers and educational opportunities for home-gardening
• George's DistributingminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCampaign sponsor supporting Community Food Resource Center
• Lewis & Clark Brewing CominorGTM or Marketing PartnerCampaign sponsor for Community Food Resource Center
• Rock Hand Ace HardwareminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCampaign sponsor for Community Food Resource Center
• SafewaycoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorFood drive partner collecting food donations for Helena Food Share during holiday seasons
• Montana Shakespeare in the ParkminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFree theatre performances at Anchor Park with food donation collections for Helena Food Share
• Helena Vigilante RunnerscoreGTM or Marketing PartnerCo-organizer of annual Helena Sun Run 5K/1-Mile fundraiser for solar panels
• Montana Renewable Energy AssociationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner for Clean Energy Expo at Sun Run event, promoting renewable energy in Helena
• Sleeping Giant Citizens CouncilminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCo-sponsor of Helena Sun Run annual fundraiser
• First Interstate BankcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFinancial literacy education partner offering Safe Banking classes at Helena Food Share community room covering fraud prevention, budgeting, and power of attorney topics
• Lewis & Clark LibrarycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStorytime programming partner hosting free early literacy events in Helena Food Share community room

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Feeding America: National umbrella network for U.S. food banks; Helena Food Share is a member-style affiliate of this category and shares the donation-driven food redistribution model.
• Second Harvest Heartland: Large regional food bank distributing donated food through partner pantries; comparable operating model and donor base despite larger geographic scope.
• Food Bank of the Rockies: Large regional food bank serving Colorado and Wyoming with similar hunger-relief programming; comparable as a larger incumbent operating the same food-distribution model across a wider geography.
• Community Food Bank of Southern Arizona: Choice-pantry and nutrition-education focused food bank with similar program structure (market-style distribution, kids' programs, senior services) at a larger scale.

Others

• M.J. Murdock Charitable Trust: Pacific Northwest foundation that funds Helena Food Share's capital campaign; comparable as a funder in the same philanthropic ecosystem that supports nonprofit capital campaigns.
• Safeway (Albertsons Companies Foundation): Corporate food-drive partner contributing donated grocery inventory; comparable as a food-donor ecosystem participant enabling pantry operations.

Regional players

• Northern Plains Resource Council: Montana-based community organization with overlapping local donor and volunteer pools; thematically related as a regional civic institution competing for community engagement.
• United Way of the Lewis & Clark Area: Local fundraising intermediary operating in the same Helena geography with overlapping corporate and individual donor relationships; competes for philanthropic dollars in the same market.

Direct peers

• Montana Food Bank Network: Statewide Montana food bank association serving a similar population-facing food-insecurity mission; directly comparable as the umbrella network Helena Food Share likely participates in.
• Missoula Food Bank & Community Center: Montana-based food bank operating a choice-style pantry and community programs; near-perfect functional and operational analog to Helena Food Share's Grocery Share Market.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCqRjSCXMvX7YAKjPhgaAqIA
• Facebookfacebook.com/helenafoodshare
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/helena-food-share
• Instagraminstagram.com/helenafoodshare

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 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 Helena Food Share