backpack buddies of metro atlanta

What backpack buddies of metro atlanta does

Backpack Buddies of Metro Atlanta is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization (EIN#88-0684867, incorporated 2022) that provides weekend meal bags to food-insecure children in Metro Atlanta who lack access to school meals outside of weekday breakfast and lunch programs. Each backpack contains a standardized mix of nonperishable food, including a minimum of five proteins and mains, two vegetables, two breakfasts, five snacks and drinks, and two fruits, designed to feed a child through the weekend. As of the 2025-2026 school year, the organization serves 2,625 children across 53 schools, supported by a network of 34 "Community Buddies," comprising churches, synagogues, senior centers, and civic organizations that adopt schools, pack the meals, and handle local delivery. The organization operates a headquarters office and a dedicated warehouse facility in Dunwoody, Georgia.

The organization's core technology is operational logistics rather than proprietary software; its competitive differentiation rests on the Community Buddy distributed model, partnerships with Atlanta Community Food Bank and Midwest Food Bank for food sourcing, and a board and management team drawn from corporate Atlanta. Revenue is generated entirely through donations, including individual giving ($250 sponsors one child for a school year), corporate sponsorships (Coldwell Banker Cares Foundation's $75,000 gift in May 2023 is the largest single donation to date), foundation grants, restaurant percentage fundraisers (Lazy Dog Restaurant), and the annual Starry Night Gala. Marketing channels include an active social media presence across Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, LinkedIn, and Facebook, alongside email newsletter capture, PR coverage of corporate volunteer events (notably the Mercedes-Benz USA and Atlanta Falcons partnership during National Volunteer Week 2025), and the annual Starry Night Gala.

Founded in 2017 by Ronald and Samra Robbins out of Congregation Beth Shalom and incorporated as a 501(c)(3) in 2022, the organization has scaled rapidly from serving 10 children at a single school to 2,625 children across 53 schools, reaching its 1 Millionth Meal milestone in April 2025. Leadership transitioned in December 2023 when co-founder Ronald Robbins retired and was succeeded by Terri Bagen as Board Chair, with Denise Bjurholm appointed as CEO in April 2024 to professionalize operations.

Name

backpack buddies of metro atlanta

Legal name

Backpack Buddies of Metro Atlanta

Website

https://backpackbuddiesatl.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2017

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Backpack Buddies of Metro Atlanta is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that provides weekend meal backpacks to food-insecure children across 53 Metro Atlanta schools, delivered through a network of 34 volunteer partner organizations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Food Assistance Services

NAICS

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

akta.pro primary industry

School Feeding & Child Nutrition Programs (BPADAJAD)

akta.pro secondary industry

Food & Nutrition Assistance Programs (BPAIAKAF)

Keywords

• Weekend meal program
• Childhood food insecurity
• Nonprofit hunger relief
• Community food distribution
• Backpack food program

Headquarters

HQ city

Dunwoody

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: The organization relies solely on community financial support. Individuals can make one-time or recurring donations. $250 sponsors one child for an entire school year.
2. Corporate Partnerships & Sponsorships: Corporate partners provide monetary and in-kind support. Companies like Coldwell Banker ($75,000 donation), Mercedes-Benz USA, and others sponsor events and programs.
3. Event Fundraising: Annual events like the Starry Night Gala generate sponsorship revenue and ticket sales. Restaurant fundraisers (e.g., Lazy Dog Restaurant) contribute percentage of sales.
4. Gala Sponsorships: The Starry Night Gala offers various sponsorship tiers with different levels of recognition and exposure for corporate sponsors.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Backpack Buddies of Metro Atlanta provides nutritious weekend meal backpacks to food-insecure children across Metro Atlanta. Each backpack contains nonperishable food (a minimum of 5 proteins & mains, 2 vegetables, 2 breakfasts, 5 snacks & drinks, and 2 fruits) that sustains children over weekends when school meals are unavailable. The program operates through a Community Buddy network of churches, synagogues, civic organizations, and senior centers that adopt nearby schools and handle local packing and delivery.

Product overview

Backpack Buddies of Metro Atlanta operates as a nonprofit food security organization providing weekend meals to food-insecure children. The core offering is the Weekend Meal Program, where filled backpacks containing nonperishable food (proteins, vegetables, breakfast items, snacks, drinks, and fruits) are distributed through a network of Community Buddy organizations. Supporting programs include the Volunteer Program for warehouse operations and the Starry Night Gala annual fundraiser.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Weekend Meal Program
• Community Buddy Program
• Volunteer Program
• Starry Night Gala

Quantifiable outcome

• 1,000,000 meals delivered milestone reached April 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

Six partnerships are on record, tiered major, core and minor.

• Atlanta Falcons / Bijan RobinsonmajorGTM or Marketing Partner · 21 April 2025Atlanta Falcons Running Back Bijan Robinson teamed up with Mercedes-Benz USA and BPBMA during National Volunteer Week 2025 to help pack and deliver meals to food-insecure children.
• YMCA FowlercoreOthers · 1 April 2025Community Buddy organization that helped prepare and deliver the 1 Millionth Meal to Hightower Elementary School in April 2025.
• Psi Omega Omega Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha SororityminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 April 2025Partnered with YMCA Fowler to help prepare the 1 Millionth Meal for delivery to Hightower Elementary School.
• Atlanta Community Food BankcoreOthersListed as a Proud Partner on BPBMA's website, providing food bank support services.
• Midwest Food Bank - Peachtree City, GAcoreOthersListed as a Proud Partner, providing food bank support services for the organization.
• Lazy Dog RestaurantminorGTM or Marketing PartnerRestaurant fundraiser partner donating 15% of purchases on designated days (Mondays and Tuesdays, July-August) to BPBMA.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Blessings in a Backpack: National nonprofit that mobilizes volunteers to pack weekend food bags for food-insecure elementary school children. Operates the closest analog program to Backpack Buddies at scale across many U.S. regions and school districts.
• Atlanta Community Food Bank: Regional food bank serving Metro Atlanta and North Georgia; distributes food through partner agencies including schools. Listed as a Proud Partner of Backpack Buddies and operates overlapping child-hunger programs in the same geography.
• Midwest Food Bank: Regional food bank that supplies food to partner pantries and backpack programs; BPBMA lists Midwest Food Bank (Peachtree City) as a Proud Partner, indicating direct operational linkage in food sourcing.

Broad incumbents

• Feeding America: Largest U.S. hunger-relief nonprofit, running the national BackPack Program that distributes weekend food to children via member food banks. Operates a broader portfolio of programs but directly overlaps with BPBMA's child-feeding mission.
• No Kid Hungry (Share Our Strength): National campaign focused on ending childhood hunger via school breakfast, summer feeding, and after-school meals. Competes for the same donor and corporate-partner dollars aimed at child food insecurity.

Regional players

• Food for Thought (Atlanta): Atlanta-area nonprofit providing weekend food bags to students in Forsyth and surrounding counties. Closest geographic peer operating an effectively identical weekend-backpack model.
• Backpack Beginnings: Regional nonprofit in North Carolina providing weekend food to food-insecure children, replicating the backpack program model in a different metro. Useful comparator for unit economics and scaling outside Atlanta.
• Meals on Wheels Atlanta: Atlanta-based nonprofit delivering meals to seniors and vulnerable populations. Comparable community-led, donor-funded meal-distribution model operating in the same Metro Atlanta market.

Others

• Hunger Free America: National advocacy and direct-service organization focused on ending hunger in the U.S. Competes with BPBMA for donor attention and policy-driven funding streams targeting child hunger.

Emerging players

• Brighter Bites: Nonprofit that distributes fresh produce and nutrition education to families through schools. Adjacent model targeting child nutrition via schools; competes for school partnerships and corporate sponsorships.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@BackpackBuddiesATL
• Facebookfacebook.com/backpackbuddiesatl
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/backpack-buddies-of-metro-atlanta
• Instagraminstagram.com/backpackbuddiesatl
• TikToktiktok.com/@backpackbuddiesatl

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles16 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 →

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