Meet Our Staff

Denise Youngsteadt-Parrish, who goes by her nickname of Dinky, has a 20+ year history of helping people in need, seeking out community partnerships, maximizing resources and acknowledging volunteers and generous donors.  She brings varied leadership experiences from the Ohio Association of Second Harvest Food Banks, Lifeline of Ohio, the Capital Area Humane Society and Columbus Parks and Recreation to her role at the Dublin Food Pantry. Now in her second year, she is meeting the unprecedented challenges of the COVID-19 Pandemic "responding with careful thought and compassion."

She has a B.A. in Anthropology from the Ohio State University and earned her Master of Science in Leadership at Duquesne University in 2010. Dinky has two children, four grandchildren, one great nephew.  She enjoys working with DFP's volunteers, partners and supporters - all who help the Dublin Food Pantry fulfill its mission even in these challenging times. You can contact Dinky at

Although Jim was born in Columbus, he moved to Dublin from Japan after spending more than four years there. This came about when his wife, Ulka, had the opportunity for a liaison position for Honda of America Manufacturing. Jim traded his sales job with a regional trucking company to become a full-time Dad for their 2 young children as they lived abroad. Now both kids are Dublin School grads and 2020 grads of the Ohio State University.   Jim is in his second year as the Dublin Food Pantry Operations Director. In 2019, DFP distributed more than 366,100 pounds of food and this year has been filled with challenges addressing increased need during the COVID-19 Pandemic. Jim notes, “I enjoy working with the experienced and friendly DFP volunteers, partners and supporters who help me in my ongoing quest to improve operations.”

You can contact Jim at  

​

​

Additional DFP team members are:

Jill Churchill, Bookkeeper

IWE STRIVE TO

END HUNGER BY:

​

• Connecting people with nutritious food and essential personal care items and helpful resources 

• Sharing facts about hunger and it's impact

• Finding hunger solutions by engaging and collaborating with community partners and enlisting support from sponsors, faith communities, neighbors, businesses, civic groups, schools and other nonprofit organizations

• Maintaining an atmosphere of kindness, compassion, safety, respect, efficiency and professionalism amongst our volunteers and all at Dublin Food Pantry

  A look back at 2020

​

​

We envision a community where everyone has access to sufficient, nutritious food and the necessities for well-being.

I

     A BRIEF HISTORY OF DUBLIN FOOD PANTRY

45 years of service

​

Dublin Food Pantry is located in Dublin Community Church (DCC) which was built in 1887 when Dublin was still a village. Dublin's Journey, a history book about Dublin, mentions that after a tornado destroyed two nearby churches, all three congregations were welcomed into this location, forming Dublin Community Congregation Church in 1913. This spirit of shared space for the greater good continues today since DCC allows Dublin Food Pantry to serve our community from this Historic Dublin location. 

​

March 19, 1976 is considered the official start of Dublin Food Pantry since it is the date of the non-profit designation through Dublin Community Church. The Rev. Robert Bradstreet, who pastored from 1972 to 1988, noted that early pantry support extended beyond DCC . Beginning in the 1980's area churches signed up for assigned months to staff the food pantry.

​

In 1980, Operation Feed FoodBank opened, eventually becoming Mid-Ohio Food Bank Collective. Today, DFP is one of Mid-Ohio Food Collective's 650 partner agencies. In addition to training and data tracking programs,  DFP can access needed food from Mid-Ohio and collect weekly perishable food donations from area grocers. DFP's service area  spans parts of three counties and includes all of the City of Dublin and the entire Dublin School District, the 10th largest school district in Ohio.

    Hundreds of volunteers have worked to assure the continued operation of Dublin Food Pantry. Scouts, city government, schools, civic groups, faith communities, area businesses, area postal workers, senior centers, other non-profits and neighborhoods are an integral part of Dublin Food Pantry's 45 year history. 

The first DFP Board of Trustees was formed in 2011.This group was instrumental in updating pantry operations. In 2012, DFP's 501(3)(c) non-profit designation was changed to be independent from DCC. This update did not impact the day-to-day operation of the pantry and had the support of Senior Minister Rev. Robert Tussing. The pantry's location and relationship to DCC continues to be a significant reason for the pantry's longevity. 

The DFP Board is comprised of members of the community who offer leadership and insight and since 2012, they have hired three professional Executive Directors: 

• Nancy Johnson led the overhaul of pantry operations to a "choice"pantry where customers could load their shopping cart with selected grocery items

• Molly Arbogast secured the largest grant to date to purchase the DFP cargo van

• Denise "Dinky" Youngsteadt-Parrish is leading DFP through the Pandemic meeting the dual challenges of increased emergency need and safely supplying help. Customers still receive a shopping cart of groceries, although items are prepackaged and loaded into vehicles by volunteers to meet social distancing guidelines.

​

Our community, staff, board, and volunteers power Dublin Food Pantry. Together we are #fillingheartsandcarts

​

​

​

​

​