Throughout the two-hour distribution — which actually lasted closer to three hours, as anyone in line by the two-hour cut-off was served — a continuous line of cars passed through The Foodbank’s garage. Two cars would enter at a time, and volunteers scurried around, in a sort of organized chaos, placing food in each car.
Some cars were driven by younger folks who then delivered the food to designated seniors, some were driven by the seniors themselves, and a number of cars were also carrying children, whose eyes lit up when they were handed a surprise candy treat by a volunteer. The one thing that was present in each car was gratitude. Nearly every recipient offered a smile, a wave, and a heartfelt, “Thank you!”
While pleasantries are always appreciated, most food bank volunteers and employees would tell you that they don’t do what they do for accolades, but because they’re driven by a desire to help others. “That’s the motto,” said one woman who volunteered at an off-site distribution event that same day. “No person hungry should be left behind.”
Here are five things I learned:
1. Food insecurity is often an “invisible” problem.
You likely wouldn’t know by looking at any of the hundreds of visitors to The Foodbank’s various drive-thru distribution events that they may be chronically food insecure. The rate of food insecurity for the entire population is estimated at 14.2% in Montgomery County, 11.1% in Greene County and 11.3% in Preble County. Hunger can often be concealed or go unnoticed, especially because many who experience this type of crisis are often plagued by shame that keeps them from reaching out to those around them.
2. Chronic hunger and lack of food accessibility affects people of all ages.
The Foodbank regularly distributes food to those young and old. Nearly 1 in 4 children are food insecure in the Dayton area — meaning their home has limited or uncertain access to adequate food — according to 2020 data from The Foodbank, the most recent data available. Hunger in the senior population is also prevalent and The Foodbank holds a monthly senior food distribution event to combat this.
3. Ongoing food insecurity is part of a larger problem.
One of the main causes of food insecurity is poverty, according to local experts. Last year, about 27.6% of Dayton residents lived in poverty, according to data from the 2021 American Community Survey analyzed by the Dayton Daily News. This struggle is compounded by rising inflation rates, higher rent prices, and inflated energy costs in many areas.
4. An individual’s possessions and clothing are not valid indicators of food security.
According to The Foodbank’s Lauren Tappel, many of us are closer to becoming food insecure than we may realize, an epiphany that some people came to realize during the pandemic. Volunteers for food distribution events may find themselves surprised by how some clients of The Foodbank present themselves outwardly. “It’s not uncommon for someone to see a vehicle and be like, ‘Wow, I drive that car,’ or, ‘Those look like nice clothes,’ but we really don’t know what that person’s position is. They could have an illness, or high medical bills, be struggling with debt, or even taking care of an aging loved one — we can’t tell just by looking at people what they’ve experienced,” Tappel said.
5. Visiting a food bank or pantry is not shameful.
One of the strongest principles shared by employees and volunteers at The Foodbank is that no one should feel embarrassed to ask for help. “We do everything we can to make sure people feel welcome here, and there is no judgement assigned to that at all,” Tappel said. “Dayton is unique in that everyone wants to see everyone else in Dayton thrive, so that (negative) type of thinking is not actually common here.”
How to help
For more than 40 years, our readers have opened their hearts and wallets to support Valley Food Relief, which raises money for The Foodbank, Inc. Please join us this year in helping The Foodbank feed families, children and seniors. You can make your gift here.
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