House of Bread is a nonprofit in West Dayton that offers free lunches and other services from five to seven days a week, 365 days a year, often including Thanksgiving and Christmas. The organization said earlier this year it serves an average of 240 meals daily. Combined with meals prepared for community groups and schools in the Dayton area, the House of Bread provided more than 190,000 meals in 2023.
The current executive director, Melodie Bennett, announced earlier this year she would be moving on to seek other professional opportunities. She planned to leave in early 2025 and help support her incoming replacement before she left. Bennett has been the House of Bread executive director for 15 years.
Gale was a minister at Grace United Methodist Church, which is located on Salem Avenue, before coming to Dayton Public Schools. She also lives in Dayton, she said.
“It’s been a privilege to work here,” Gale said of her work at Dayton Public Schools. “The House of Bread work in Central and West Dayton is very important to me.”
She said she was happy to follow in Bennett’s footsteps.
Gale thanked the board during a meeting on Tuesday “for a great three and a half years,” and said she appreciated the support and all she learned while at DPS that allowed her to take the next step.
Gale was hired in July 2021 at a salary of $95,204, according to DPS records.
House of Bread Board president Lisa Henderson declined to comment, saying an announcement about the leadership change was planned for after the holidays.
Reporter Tom Gnau contributed to this report.
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