At a recent board meeting, one of our members asked me, “What’s the most surprising thing to you in your first month?” He really should have asked me this AFTER I attended an event alongside Tony the Tiger, Mr Pringle, Spiderman, and the Coca Cola Polar Bear. I would’ve had my answer!
Honestly, it’s a great question to ask thirty days in, and I struggled to answer it in the moment. But I kept reflecting on everything I’ve experienced in the last month…
- We had the chance to spend a Saturday with the Miracle League of Central Ohio, a program that removes the barriers that keep children with mental and physical challenges off the baseball field. Dublin Food Pantry Day at the Miracle League brought in 375 pounds of food and hygiene items and $1,500 in donations from attendees. Thank you to Rick Guzak and everyone at the Miracle League for including us in something so special.
- US Bank celebrated the grand re-opening of their Frantz Road location this month, and the redesigned space reflects something we know well at the Pantry: a commitment to building relationships with the people you serve. As part of the celebration, Branch Manager January Howe presented Dublin Food Pantry with a generous donation on behalf of US Bank. Thank you for being a great community partner.
- We were also present at a ribbon cutting with Kroger on Hospital Drive celebrating the conclusion of an extensive renovation. Kroger’s commitment to the Dublin community was on full display and they provided a generous donation to Dublin Food Pantry as a part of their Zero Hunger Zero Waste initiative which aims to end hunger in local communities. Thank you to all of the Kroger associates who value and support our work.
So, Chris, to answer your question: what surprises me most is experiencing firsthand the many ways this community shows up for the pantry’s work, ways I wasn’t fully aware of before stepping into this role.
At Dublin Food Pantry we are working hard to build great connections with the people and organizations in our community, and this month has shown me the importance of our efforts. If you’re headed to the Dublin Irish Festival this weekend, look for us. We will be there as a proud member of this community we love. It’s a great chance to say hello, ask questions, or find out how to get involved.
When you learn a little more about the work we do, you might just find something that surprises you too.
Grateful to be surprised,
Brian