For the past several months, we’ve been telling stories about food. But if you’ve been following along, you know those stories haven’t really been just about food.
In honor of the Dublin Food Pantry’s 50th anniversary, our More Than Food, More Than 50 Years campaign has focused on what becomes possible when neighbors don’t have to wonder where their next meal is coming from.
Kids can focus in school. Athletes get the fuel they need to push through competition. Families can enjoy fresh produce that nourishes their bodies. Neighbors sleep a little easier during seasons of life that feel heavy.
We’ve also shared stories about the people who make it possible, including the volunteers, donors, staff and community partners who show up day after day, week after week and season after season. They aren’t looking for recognition. They simply see a need and choose to help.
As we prepare for our 50th anniversary celebration at this year’s Bounty at Bridge Park, we’re looking back at some of the stories we’ve shared along the way and the many ways food can make a difference far beyond the table.
It’s More Than Food. It’s Keeping Kids Fed.
What does food make possible for a child? Quite a lot.
In our Dublin community, roughly 22 percent of students are classified as economically disadvantaged. And in some schools, that figure is far higher. For many of these kids, having enough to eat isn’t just about filling a stomach. It means having the energy to give their all at football practice, the focus to get through a hard test, or simply one less thing weighing on their minds during the school day.
That’s where our partnership with Dublin City Schools comes in. By working together, we can reach students and families where they are, while making sure they receive support with the dignity and discretion they deserve.
Read: More Than Food: Keeping Kids Fed »
It’s More Than Food. It’s Building Healthier Bodies.
Having enough food matters. But having access to fresh, nutritious food can make an even bigger difference, supporting healthy development, long-term well-being and a healthier community.
Through partnerships with local health networks, Dublin City Schools, and Mid-Ohio Food Collective, we’re working to make nutritious food more accessible to neighbors facing food insecurity throughout Dublin.
That includes Food is Medicine initiatives like the Mid-Ohio Farmacy Program and community-based Pop-Up Pantries, helping to meet families where they are and get fresh product on their tables.
Read: More Than Food: Building Healthier Bodies »
It’s More Than Food. It’s Supporting Mental Health.
When a basic need like food isn’t met, the worry can take up a lot of space. Wondering how you’re going to feed yourself or your family can make it harder to focus, harder to get through the day and harder to think about what comes next.
That’s one reason our partnership with Syntero matters. Together, we’re helping create a “no wrong door” approach to support. When a neighbor reaches out for help with one challenge, they can be connected to other resources they may need, recognizing that food insecurity rarely exists in isolation.
Read: More Than Food: Strengthening Mental Health »
It’s More Than Food. It’s Fresh Possibilities.
Fresh produce can be one of the hardest foods for families facing food insecurity to access. Our OhioHealth Sustainability Garden is helping change that.
Every week, a team of 10 to 15 volunteers plans, plants and tends the garden just outside our Pantry. In its first year, the garden produced 650 pounds of fresh food. In year two, that number grew to 1,200 pounds.
Tomatoes, peppers, leafy greens, carrots, onions, herbs and more make their way from the garden to our Pantry shelves, giving neighbors more fresh, nutritious options to bring home to their families.
Read: More Than Food: Growing Fresh, Healthy Possibilities »
It’s More Than Food. It’s Fuel.
Even the most dedicated athletes struggle to get through a practice or game when they’re running on empty. Sometimes “more than food” is as simple as making sure a student has the fuel they need to keep going and do what they love.
Through a partnership with the OhioHealth Sports Medicine Program, students at three of our local schools can access nutritious snacks before practices and games.
It’s one more way our community is looking out for students by meeting a need that may be easy to miss but can make a real difference in their day.
Read: More Than Food: Fueling Dublin Student Athletes »
It’s More Than Food. It’s Neighbors Helping Neighbors.
The Pantry wouldn’t exist without this community. Plain and simple.
For 50 years, volunteers have shown up to stock shelves, sort donations, grow vegetables, deliver food, and greet people at the door. In doing so, they’ve helped build a place where no neighbor must face hunger alone.
Because the truth is, any of us could need a little help at some point. A job loss, an unexpected expense or a change at home can quickly turn food into one more thing to worry about. That’s why we’ve designed the Pantry experience around choice and dignity. And it’s why the people who welcome our customers matter just as much as the food waiting on our shelves.
Read: More Than Food: Neighbors Helping Neighbors »
September Is Hunger Action Month
September is Hunger Action Month, which makes it an especially fitting time to close this chapter of our 50th anniversary campaign.
Over the past several months, we’ve shared stories about what food insecurity looks like in our community, but more importantly, what becomes possible when our neighbors have reliable access to the food they need.
Awareness matters. But after 50 years, we also know what happens when awareness turns into action.
A volunteer signs up for a shift. A family adds a few extra items to its grocery cart for a food drive. A business steps up as a sponsor. Someone makes a donation. A neighbor helps another neighbor find the support they need.
Those individual acts have sustained the Dublin Food Pantry since 1976. And during Hunger Action Month, we hope you’ll find your own way to be part of what comes next, whether that means volunteering at the Pantry, organizing a food drive or making a donation.
Because if the last 50 years have shown us anything, it’s what can happen when a community decides to show up for one another. Here’s to carrying that spirit into the next 50.
Celebrate 50 Years with Us at Bounty at Bridge Park
On Sunday, September 20, our community will come together for our annual Bounty at Bridge Park event — and this year’s gathering is sold out! We’re grateful for the incredible response as we celebrate 50 years of the Dublin Food Pantry and the volunteers, donors, partners, friends and neighbors who have brought our mission to life and continue to carry it forward.
While Bounty has reached capacity, there are still plenty of ways to be part of this milestone. Whether you make a donation, share our mission, or volunteer your time, you’re helping make more than food possible for our neighbors and our community.
Thank you!