Cause Connect Turns Everyday Shopping into Meals for Families in Need

New marketplace directs brand marketing dollars to nonprofits, creating a win for businesses, charities, and consumers

Cause Connect, a new platform that turns everyday shopping into social impact, today announced its official launch during Tackling Hunger Month and ahead of World Food Day, national initiatives held each October to raise awareness and inspire action to end hunger in America. By converting purchases into sustainable funding for nonprofits, Cause Connect creates a “triple win” for companies, charities, and consumers at a time when the need for solutions has never been greater.

The platform is launching first in New York City in partnership with City Harvest, the city’s largest food rescue organization, as pantry visits by families with children have risen nearly 90% since 2019. As record numbers of New Yorkers struggle to put food on the table amidst historic cuts to federal food assistance, Cause Connect’s model offers a powerful solution: every purchase made through the platform helps City Harvest rescue and deliver nutritious food to families across the five boroughs.

“We’ve seen brands spend millions on digital ads with diminishing returns, while nonprofits struggle to reach donors,” said Pete Meyer, Co-Founder and CEO of Cause Connect. “Cause Connect was built to solve both problems. When brands grow by giving, everyone wins.”

“Visits to New York City soup kitchens and food pantries are at a record high, and federal cuts to food assistance will cause even more of our neighbors to struggle to put food on their tables,” adds Dori Paulino, Director of Direct Response for City Harvest, New York’s first and largest food rescue organization. “We look forward to working with Cause Connect to help ensure that all New Yorkers have access to the nutritious food they need to thrive.” 

Through this partnership, City Harvest gains a sustainable funding stream that helps meet its goal of rescuing more than 86 million pounds of food this year and delivering it, free of charge, to 400 food pantries, soup kitchens, and community programs across the five boroughs. The need for food assistance in New York City is now at the highest level on record: 50% of working-age households are struggling to make ends meet, 1 in 4 children face food insecurity, and historic cuts to federal food assistance programs could reduce or even eliminate benefits for nearly 2 million New Yorkers. Against this backdrop, every dollar counts, and just $1 can help feed two New Yorkers for a day.

At the same time, brands gain new customers and meaningful exposure, while consumers get the products they want with the added benefit of knowing their purchases fuel impact. Cause Connect makes this possible through curated Amazon storefronts for nonprofit partners—featuring mission-driven brands like Ibambo The Bean Coffee Company, and Food for the Sol, along with more than 10,000 everyday Amazon products. Shoppers simply browse and buy as usual, but rather than receiving a rebate, a portion of each sale goes directly to the nonprofit. The result is a true triple win: brands grow their business, consumers shop with purpose, and vital funding flows to the causes that need it most.

As the platform expands to additional metropolitan areas, its launch in New York underscores the urgent need for new models of support. By aligning business growth with community well-being, Cause Connect makes every purchase count.

Shoppers can start making an impact today by visiting City Harvest’s Cause Connect storefront

To learn more about the platform and upcoming nonprofit partnerships, visit https://www.cause-connect.org

ABOUT CAUSE CONNECT
Cause Connect is a performance marketing platform that transforms how brands, nonprofits, and consumers work together to create social impact. By redirecting traditional marketing dollars into everyday purchases, Cause Connect creates a sustainable funding stream for nonprofits while helping businesses acquire customers and build meaningful brand loyalty. The platform operates through curated Amazon storefronts for nonprofit partners, where shoppers can purchase products as usual knowing that a portion of each sale directly supports vital causes. With no added cost to consumers and measurable results for brands, Cause Connect delivers a true “triple win” for commerce and community. Founded in 2025, Cause Connect is committed to scaling nationwide and reimagining the future of corporate charitable giving. For more information, visit https://www.cause-connect.org