2024 Year in Review

MariAlexxa Holman, Direct Marketing Coordinator

As we enter January and brush off our journals to set goals for the new year, let’s take a moment to look back and reflect on our highlights from The Foodbank in 2024.

Warehouse Operations

The Foodbank started the year off strong with implementing new process improvements in our warehouse operations, making food flow more efficient and allowing us to offer partner agencies more targeted food options to best meet their unique needs in their community. If you have volunteered with us within the last year, you may be familiar with some of these changes, as some of them include our new food sorting system and non-perishable food repacking (these are also new volunteer opportunities!). Instead of categorizing food into groups like “bakery” or “protein”, we now sort incoming food donations into specific groups like “grains”, “breakfast foods”, “soups” and “snacks” to make agency orders customizable.

We can’t stress how instrumental this change has been for our operations and our partner agencies. They are now able to place orders in our system for items they specifically need without the risk of food waste, while also offering their clients a more dignified, autonomous experience at their pantries. A special thank you to the volunteers who piloted this new system with us!

Garden Team Trailblazes

• In May, our Urban Garden Team was featured in an edition of Dayton Daily News Community Gems! They were recognized for their innovative composting practices, tireless work in environmental stewardship throughout the Dayton area, ecological education, and so much more. They are a team that wears many hats, and we are so proud of not just how they serve our neighbors, but also of their desire and commitment to educate and better our community. Go Foodbank Garden Team! You can read the full article here.
• The garden participated in a Composting Consortium in 2023, and last summer the study results were released. This groundbreaking new report that fills a key data gap for the U.S. composting industry: how well does certified, food-contact compostable packaging break down in real world composting facilities? The Consortium, managed by Closed Loop Partners’ Center for the Circular Economy, shares findings from the largest known field test of certified, food-contact compostable packaging in North America––revealing the realities of how compostable packaging disintegrates in-field.
• The Foodbank’s Garden Manager, James Hoffer, was recently interviewed for The Composter podcast to discuss how we close the loop on food recovery through our onsite composting operation! To learn more about our Green Mountain Technologies composter, why composting is an important part of The Foodbank’s operations and more, check out the The Composter Podcast.

CareSource Partnership Continues

CareSource has been a valuable partner to The Foodbank over the years by not only supporting hunger relief efforts but also addressing the critical need for hygiene products. During our summer mass distribution events, CareSource representatives have been on-site, distributing essential hygiene items to families in need. This collaboration ensures that those facing food insecurity also receive the necessary supplies to maintain their health and dignity, reflecting CareSource’s commitment to community support. 

Another notable CareSource collaboration in 2024 was their Summer Intern Volunteer Day! The Interns took a tour to learn about our operations and then jumped right in to help us sort and repack non-perishable donations.

Political Officials Tour The Foodbank

Second Lady Tina Husted paid us a visit in April to talk about our re-entry workforce development programs and learn more about the opportunities we offer! She is a dedicated re-entry advocate, and her visit was a testament to the importance of the work we do in supporting individuals transitioning back into the community.

In the fall, The Foodbank had the pleasure of hosting various political officials for a tour of our Urban Garden and Hydroponic Greenhouse. Attendees included Senator Bob Hackett, Representative Bill Dean, Commissioner Matt Joseph, Commissioner Carolyn Rice, Treasurer John McManus, and the Office of Senator Sherrod Brown. We were thrilled to share our knowledge about composting and its vitality to our work, transforming food waste into nutrient-rich soil and supporting sustainable food production.

They also had the opportunity to see our industrial composter, which processes around 5 tons of food scraps a month, and learned how our operations keep people fed while reducing greenhouse gas emissions. On another date, we welcomed Senator Blackshear Jr, Jeffrey J Mims Jr, Commissioner Christopher Shaw, the Dayton Sustainability Office, and several other City of Dayton representatives for a tour of the Urban Garden and Greenhouse as well. 

Groundbreaking of New Building

October 10th, 2024 was a memorable day for our organization. The Foodbank broke ground on our soon-to-be two-story, 12-thousand-square-foot Community Centered Building, which will provide wrap-around services to the people we serve. This building will feature SNAP and WIC application assistance, a turnkey medical exam room, job training, workforce development programs, a number of free programs for the community, an onsite parole office for justice-involved citizens so they can meet their court-mandated requirements, and a team of Community Health Workers, who will screen and refer clients to additional resources in our area. For example, if a client is screened and needs housing, a CHW will connect and refer them to local affordable housing resources, supporting them through the entire process. 

Prior to building plans, The Foodbank held community conversations for local residents to tell us first-hand what resources are most needed in the 45417-zip code. The input gathered was then used to construct the building. This Center is the final stage of a 12-year long project.            

Our team awaits the opening of this building with excitement and are looking forward to having the tools to serve our local community in an even more meaningful way. The Community Centered building will bring us one step closer to ‘Eliminating Hunger and its Root Causes’!

Special visits at Mass Food Distributions

• During the Montgomery County mass food distribution last summer, The Dayton Flyers volunteered to help pass out food, despite the intense heat wave!
• At our Thanksgiving mass food distribution, we had a special visit from the Cincinnati Bengals mascot, Who Dey, to lift spirits and interact with the crowd while in line for food!

Leadership Accomplishments

• Our Chief Operating Officer, Kate McEwen, was a recipient of the Sandie Geib WiBN Ambassador of the Year Award at the Women in Business Networking Awards Gala in 2024! Each day, Kate brings a contagious positive energy that lights up our workplace, encouraging us all to embrace challenges and pursue our goals with confidence. We couldn’t be prouder of Kate!
• Congratulations to our CEO, Michelle Riley, who received the Smith-Moore award from the United Way of the Greater Dayton Area in 2024! This is the highest award offered by United Way, given to those who go above and beyond to bring about positive outcomes for people in our community. 
• Michelle also received the prestigious Women to Watch award! Her commitment to building strong relationships and a supportive environment empowers us all to thrive. She is an exemplary leader who pours her heart into her work, as well as those who work for her. Her impact extends well beyond our walls into every community we serve. We can’t think of anyone more deserving to receive this recognition!
• Our Chief Development Officer, Lee Truesdale, received a Food Champion Award at the Nourishing Montgomery County event! Lee is a dedicated member of the Montgomery County Food Equity Coalition, representing The Foodbank and working endlessly with other community organizations to eliminate hunger and its root causes.
• Our Chief Knowledge Officer, Kellie Schneider, was recognized as a 2025 Woman to Watch! Kellie supports the critical infrastructure of The Foodbank including compliance & reporting, warehouse operations, professional development, strategic initiatives, and continuous improvement. She is a vital part of The Foodbank, and we wouldn’t be able to serve our community the same without her.

It’s truly uplifting to witness these remarkable women being celebrated and we are so proud of all their hard work and dedication to serving our community. 

Other Accomplishments

• The Foodbank received the 2024 Dayton Nonprofit of the Year award for Basic Needs!
• The Foodbank also received The Partnership for Excellence’s Spirit Award! This recognition celebrates our commitment to continuous improvement and operational excellence through our new Organizational Profile, which highlights who we are, our values, and our goals for the future.

Imagination Library Partnership

The Imagination Library, founded by Dolly Parton in 1995, is a renowned early childhood literacy program that provides free books to children from birth to age five. With the goal of fostering a love of reading and improving literacy skills, the program has expanded globally, delivering millions of books each month. By offering age-appropriate books directly to children’s homes, the Imagination Library aims to ensure that every child, regardless of their family’s income, has access to the joy of reading.

Through its partnership with The Foodbank, the local chapter of Imagination Library joined us at our mass distributions in 2024, handing out books to families with children who visited food distributions, nurturing both their minds and bodies. Parents were able to sign their child up for the program while at the distribution and take a free book home as well. We love our community partners and the things we are able to accomplish when we work together!

New SICSA Partnership

The Foodbank was elated to work with SICSA for the first time at several mass food distributions, as well as Senior Drive Thru days, where SICSA team members rolled up their sleeves to pass out pet food to pet owners in our lines. For many, having to make the heartbreaking choice between feeding themselves or their pet is a frequent experience. This is especially common with seniors living on a fixed income, but our new partnership with SICSA aims to alleviate the stress and anxiety of pet owners who cannot afford food for their furry friends.

A New Chapter

2024 was a year filled with new and flourishing partnerships, celebrations, changes, and a steadfast commitment to alleviating hunger, cultivating hope, and catalyzing change in our community. As January is now in full swing, our organization is planning for another year of serving, learning, and meeting the need wherever possible, alongside our amazing community partners.