Ways to Give Back

The Junior League of Dayton is committed to serving and supporting the greater-Dayton community. While we have ongoing initiatives to provide support, we know some individuals are looking for ways to independently give back to the Greater-Dayton community. This page provides ways that you can provide support to organizations that are helping individuals and families in our community. Each option will have a symbol to show the type of support you can provide:

💰 Donate money

📦 Donate items

🖐 Volunteer opportunities

Please contact each organization directly to confirm details and how to coordinate providing assistance.

General Assistance

ST. VINCENT DE PAUL SOCIETY – DAYTON 💰📦🖐
Aid those experiencing homelessness and poverty by providing emergency shelter, transitional and permanent supportive housing, food, clothing and household items, as well as guidance on the path to leading a self-sustaining life.

  • 💰 Donate money: Your support gives your neighbor shelter, food, clothing, and personal accompaniment during a time of homelessness or instability.
  • 📦 Donate goods: Your donations make a difference in the lives of individuals and families fighting homelessness and poverty. See the drop down menu above in the Donate Goods menu tab for a listing of in-kind items you or your group can provide to help us with the people we serve each and every day.
  • 🖐 Volunteer opportunities: Every year, we rely on hundreds of volunteers to assist our guests by serving meals, cleaning, folding laundry, helping at the front desk, and much more.

Kroc Center 💰
The Salvation Army offers a variety of programs in Montgomery and Greene county to help individuals and families in need.

  • 💰 Donate money: You can partner with the Dayton Kroc Center to meet the greatest need. Your donation to makes a positive change in our community.

Food Assistance

The Food Bank 💰📦🖐
For over 40 years, The Foodbank has served as the primary source of food for the hunger relief network in the Miami Valley. The Foodbank – the only one of its kind in the area – relieves hunger in the community through a network of partner agencies by acquiring and distributing food. The Foodbank provides the infrastructure for more than 110 member food pantries, community kitchens, and shelters that serve as the charitable hunger relief network in Montgomery, Greene, and Preble Counties.

  • 💰 Donate money: Your donation impacts the community and brings comfort, hope, and food to the lives of those living in our community. Every dollar you donate provides food for four meals to The Foodbank’s network of food pantries, community kitchens, shelters, and Kid Cafés.
  • 📦 Donate food: All non-perishable foods can be utilized. Visit The Foodbank’s website for a list of their most needed items.
  • 🖐 Volunteer opportunities: Volunteers are the life of The Foodbank! Volunteer opportunities are offered Monday through Thursday 9:00 am to 4:00 pm. Corporate groups, school groups, and individuals are welcome.

Miami Valley Meals 💰📦🖐
Miami Valley Meals (MVM) recovers and transforms donated food into meals which are then distributed through a network of nonprofit partner organizations that serve those experiencing food insecurity. They provide nourishing meals made with love that honor the dignity of people in need of assistance.

  • 💰 Donate money: With your support, we can continue providing thousands of meals per month to families and individuals experiencing food insecurity across the Miami Valley, providing convenience, comfort, and dignity.
  • 📦 Donate food: Our team of pro chefs and volunteers will transform your excess food into delicious, nutritious meals for our neighbors in need. Donating is as easy as a quick phone call!
    • Our most wished for items include: bulk rice, pasta, macaroni, dried herbs and spices, flour, sugar, cake mix, cooking oil, #10 cans of vegetables, fruit, pudding, and pie filling, and small cans with pull-tabs (used for non-perishable snack packs).
  • 🖐 Volunteer opportunities: Join the scoop squad! Our culinary team can always use an extra hand in the kitchen. Weekly, monthly, twice-a-year, whatever works for you. We have volunteer opportunities for individuals or groups!

Gem City Action 💰📦🖐
Gem City Action is a grassroots volunteer run organization dedicated to building a more inclusive and equitable Dayton by advocating for human rights, supporting marginalized groups, promoting social justice, and creating safe spaces to strengthen and unite the community.

  • 💰 Donate money: We are asking for $10 donations from everyone that wants to help bring a free store to Dayton.
  • 📦 Donate items: Gem City Action & Friends are collecting non-perishable donations to help our neighbors in need.
  • 🖐 Volunteer opportunities: Complete the Connection Building form for more information about volunteer opportunities.

Little Free Pantry Locator 📦
The mini pantry movement is a grassroots, crowdsourced solution to immediate and local need. Whether a need for food or a need to give, mini pantries help feed neighbors, nourishing neighborhoods.

Grocery Fairies of Dayton Ohio – Facebook Group 📦
Public Facebook Group gathering members’ needs of grocery items that local food pantries do not supply and matching them with other members willing to fulfill their requests.

Blueberry Cafe 💰

  • 💰 Donate money: Cash donations being accepted to help fund their free “takeaway” meals initiative. Venmo: @BlueBerryCafe
  • Good Neighbor House Food Pantry: 💰📦🖐 Good Neighbor House provides a drive-thru pantry service to assist individuals and families every 14 days.Offerings include a variety of dry and canned goods, meats, and fresh fruits and vegetables when available. They also provide hygiene and household items upon request, depending on stock availability. (627 E First St, Dayton, OH 45402)
    • 💰 Donate money: Monetary donations are the quickest way to ensure that Good Neighbor House can continue providing essential services to the community.
    • 📦 Donate items: Good Neighbor House is always in need of supplies for our daily operations. To simplify the process for our generous supporters, we’ve created an Amazon Wishlist with items we urgently require across all departments. Click the link to donate items today! Additionally, we are always accepting nonperishable food items for our food pantry. You can easily drop off donations at our drive-thru during business hours for quick access.
    • 🖐 Volunteer opportunities: Good Neighbor House relies on the support of our volunteers to operate successfully. Be a Good Neighbor and join us in making a difference in the Miami Valley community! Volunteering is the perfect way to give back, meet new friends, and feel great about your impact. Good Neighbor House relies on the support of our volunteers to operate successfully.
      • Food Pantry: No experience needed! Help with intake and operations Monday to Thursday from 9 AM to 2:30 PM or assist with reset and restocking from 2 PM to 5 PM. Please contact Shellie Rice at 937-422-7778 to volunteer.
      • Medical Clinic: If you have medical experience, volunteer on Mondays from 8 AM to 12 PM or Thursdays from 12:30 PM to 5 PM. Please contact Robin Baker at 937-224-3442 Ext. 1115 to volunteer.
  • CATHOLIC SOCIAL SERVICES OF THE MIAMI VALLEY: 💰📦🖐 Choice Food Pantry (922 W. Riverview Ave., Dayton, OH 45402)
    • 💰 Donate money: The Annual Fund is the most convenient and impactful way you can support Catholic Social Services each year. As the primary source of operating funding for programs, services and direct client support, the dollars raised by the Annual Fund allow CSSMV to perform its mission each year.
    • 📦 Donate items: Catholic Social Services of the Miami Valley accepts donations of certain items needed by our various programs throughout the year. Because we have limited storage space, we do ask that you refer to the lists of items we’re currently accepting as well as following the instructions for where and when to drop off your donations. If you have other items that you think might be of use to us, please give us a call at 937.223.7217 x2100 or email cssmv@cssmv.org to see if we can accept them.
    • 🖐 Volunteer opportunities: Looking for a way to put your faith into practice by serving our clients or assisting our staff? Recently retired and have skills to offer? Are you in high school or college and looking for ways to enhance your skills and experience? We have one-time and group volunteer opportunities, roles that need volunteers on an ongoing basis, and even programs that need volunteers who can commit to helping out every week.
  • HOUSE OF BREAD: 💰📦🖐 Serves hot, nutritious meals 365 days a year. (9 Orth Ave., Dayton, OH 45402)
    • 💰 Donate money: Financial donations are critical to the operation of the House of Bread. Please consider giving at one of these levels:
      • $1,000 allows us to help hundreds of individuals.
      • $500 covers the cost of morning coffee for our guests for a month.
      • $365, $1 a day, honors our ability to open and provide services every day of the year — otherwise known as Club 365!
      • $100 pays for dishwashing supplies for 1 month.
      • $50 helps provide lunch for 4 families in our family dining room.
    • 📦 Donate items: Donated items can be dropped off any day between 8:30am-3:00pm! We are here until 4pm on weekdays.
    • 🖐 Volunteer opportunities: House of Bread relies on countless volunteers every day to assist with large pick ups of donated food, and to help in our kitchen with preparing and serving the lunchtime meal to our guests. We are now accepting 3-4 volunteers per day to join us. Hours are 10:00am – 2:00pm and you will be serving food to our guests and helping our staff. We ask that you are over the age of 16, and come with a compassionate mindset.
  • HAVE A GAY DAY: 💰📦🖐 Community food pantry focused on providing food, hygiene items, and pet supplies to anyone in need. (1902 Needmore Rd., Dayton, OH 45414)
    • 💰 Donate money: Your donation impacts everything we do. No matter what you give, it makes a difference and helps us change the world! Thank you!
    • 📦 Donate items: Our Wishlists, Registries, and Other Ways to Support
    • 🖐 Volunteer opportunities: List of Volunteer opportunities. All you have to do is click on any of the volunteer opportunities you see and click go. If you are interested in setting up a volunteer day for a group or business or organization please reach out to turtle@haveagayday.org
  • With God’s Grace Free Grocery Store & Mobile Pantry: 💰🖐 (622 Springfield St, Dayton, OH 45403)
    • 💰 Donate money
    • 🖐 Volunteer opportunities: We are always in need of volunteers to help us with our events. We thank you for interest in volunteering with us and we hope to see you soon!
  • THE HEARTH COMMUNITY PLACE: 💰🖐 Tuesday client-choice food pantry. (3415 Linden Ave., Dayton, OH 45410)
    • 💰 Donate money: In order to continue our work for the community, The Hearth Community Place is dependent on funding and donations. A small contribution goes a long way.
    • 🖐 Volunteer opportunities: Our pantry is open the second thru the fourth (or fifth) Tuesday of the month from 2pm-7pm. We are closed the first Tuesday of every month.
      • Mondays from 9am-1pm We unload the truck and prepare the pantry for service the next day. Lifting will be required of some volunteers. Please wear closed-toe shoes and consider dressing in layers for comfort. Gloves may also be helpful if you have a favorite pair.
      • Tuesdays from noon-7pm Volunteers will be matched with a task ranging from set-up, running a station, helping with intake, moving carts, helping with traffic control, bagging food items, or clean-up tasks.
  • SOUTH COMMUNITY CARING HANDS FOOD PANTRY 💰📦
    • 💰 Donate money: Monetary donations are gladly accepted and our volunteers can shop for the food! 100% of proceeds goes directly in purchase of food/self-care items. To Donate Please Call: 937.293.8300
    • 📦 Donate items: To Donate Please Call: 937.293.8300
  • BELMONT UNITED METHODIST CHURCH FOOD PANTRY: 📦🖐 Offers food assistance on the 2nd & 4th Saturdays each month. (2701 S. Smithville Rd., Dayton, OH 45420)
    • 📦 Donate items: The food pantry is in need of tuna, jelly, peanut butter, juice (no grape) and soup.
    • 🖐 Volunteer opportunities: Help is needed unloading the truck on Foodbank pickup days the 2nd and 4th Wednesday of the month, 10:30 a.m. to noon.
  • EPIPHANY LUTHERAN CHURCH – THE PANTRY : 💰 (6430 Far Hills Ave., Centerville, OH 45459)
    • 💰 Donate money: Our Pantry serves local social service organizations and helps caseworkers get food, clothing, hygiene products, and household goods to those who need them. The Pantry is run by many volunteers skilled at using monetary donations to purchase necessary items. Help support their mission with one-time or recurring donations by choosing the Pantry Food fund or Pantry Clothing and Household fund.
  • BOGG MINISTRIES MOBILE PANTRY: 💰🖐 Mobile food pantry serving Miamisburg, Kettering, and West Carrollton communities. (9095 Washington Church Rd., Miamisburg, OH 45342)
    • 💰 Donate money: This organization is not possible without the generous gifts of people like you. The money you donate goes directly to helping change lives.
    • 🖐 Volunteer opportunities: We always need extra help at our events and would love to have you volunteer with us. You can look at all our events on Signup.com or you can pick from one of the upcoming events.
  • Sulpher Grove Church – Huber Heights Food Pantry: 💰📦🖐 Free Food Assistance: Pantry provides emergency food assistance to Huber Heights residents in need Wednesdays from 5:30PM – 7:30PM. (7505 Taylorsville Rd, Huber Heights, OH)
    • 💰 Donate money: If you want to contribute money towards the food pantry, please use the button, select the “Other” block, and specify your contribution is for the Food Pantry. Thank you for your generous giving!
    • 📦 Donate items: There are certain items (as suggested by the Food Bank) that we try to give out with every request for food; therefore, these items are always in demand. We also accept personal care and household items such as toothbrushes, toothpaste, deodorant, shampoo, feminine products, dish detergent, laundry detergent, etc. To schedule a drop off for your donations please contact Candy at candyb@sulphurgrove.org or call the office at 937-236-5970.
    • 🖐 Volunteer opportunities: In addition to food and/or money donations, there are other ways to help with the Huber Heights Food Pantry. We gladly welcome people interested in volunteering their time and efforts with organizing the pantry, welcoming guests, packaging donations, and more. If you would like to sign up to volunteer, please contact Candy at candyb@sulphurgrove.org or call the office at 937-236-5970.
  • Fairborn FISH Pantry: 💰📦🖐 (480 W. Funderburg Rd, Fairborn, OH 45324)
    • 💰 Donate money: Fairborn FISH accepts financial donations via all major credit/debit cards, cash or check. Notice: We are a 501c3 and rely on donations to continue to feed the hungry in our community. Thank you for your support!
    • 📦 Donate items: Donations accepted Tuesdays & Fridays from 12:00-4:30PM and Wednesdays from 2:00 pm – 4:00pm. Cereal, Spaghetti Sauce, Peanut Butter and Toilet Paper
    • 🖐 Volunteer opportunities
  • Greene County FISH Pantry: 💰📦🖐 Greene County FISH Pantry is currently providing food for individuals once every 4 weeks. (774 Cincinnati Ave, Xenia, OH 45385)
    • 💰 Donate money
    • 📦 Donate food: Food Donations can be dropped off at the pantry during Business Hours (Donations)
    • 🖐 Volunteer opportunities: Our Volunteers play a vital role in supporting our local food pantry. Common volunteers tasks include sorting and organizing donated food items, packing meat, distributing supplies to clients during open hours, restocking shelves, picking up donations, and promotion of the pantry within our communities.
  • Bellbrook-Sugarcreek Community Support Center (BSCSC): 💰📦🖐 Food pantry serving the Bellbrook-Sugarcreek area. (46 E. Franklin, #1 Bellbrook, OH 45305)
    • 💰 Donate money: We’re always grateful for and in need of financial assistance. Monetary donations allow us to be flexible. They ensure that we’re able to meet the needs of our clients and fill the ever-shifting gaps in our supplies.📦 Donate items🖐 Volunteer opportunities: We are always in need of volunteers! If you have a special skill you’re interested in sharing or just want to learn the ropes, please contact us! If you’d like to teach a class for us, please fill out this Class Proposal. You can also fill out our Volunteer Application to get the process started.

Warren County Food Pantries

Clothing Assistance

THREADS OF MIAMI VALLEY 💰📦🖐
Provides essential clothing to individuals and families in need at no cost. (33 Lawrence Ave., Miamisburg, OH 45342)

  • 💰 Donate money: Monetary donations make a huge impact. We use these funds to operate and to purchase new items, such as underwear, for our clients.
  • 📦 Donate items: Donations of gently used clothing, shoes, coats, and linens are accepted. We accept donations on: Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday mornings 9:00-11:30 AM; Wednesday evenings 6:15-8:00 PM. Items Accepted for Donation: Gently Used Clothing of All Sizes, Shoes in Good Condition, Coats and Jackets, New or Gently Used Linens, Clothing Accessory Items and Jewelry
  • 🖐 Volunteer opportunities: Threads is a great place to come and join in to serve your community! We are looking for consistent adult volunteers who can come regularly. We have a need for morning and evening volunteers!

Hope’s Closet  💰📦🖐
Providing resources, community, and loving support to foster children and the foster parents who care for them. (9850 Princeton Glendale Rd, Suite C, West Chester Township, Ohio 45246)

  • 💰 Donate money: Hope’s Closet is dedicated to championing foster children and parents by providing material needs, key resources, and loving support from the community. All financial gifts made to Hope’s Closet remain local and serves foster care families around around Ohio, Kentucky, and Indiana-providing hope to those who need it the most!
  • 📦 Donate items: Share new and gently used clothes and other essentials with local children in foster care. Our dedicated volunteers will turn them into a shopping boutique for foster children!
  • 🖐 Volunteer opportunities: At Hope’s Closet, volunteers are essential to the work we do to support local children in foster care. We have opportunities to serve that meet all schedules, talents, and passions.

CLOTHES THAT WORK 💰📦🖐
Their Clothing and Coaching Program is designed to give job seekers the wardrobe they need to be successful in the interview and the advice they need to create a positive, lasting impression. (2824 Wilmington Pike, Kettering, OH 45419)

  • 💰 Donate money: Your support provides more than clothing—it fuels programs that deliver job training, interview coaching, and career readiness. As a result, every contribution helps local job seekers gain confidence, secure employment, and build a better future for themselves and their families.
  • 📦 Donate clothing: Clothes That Work gladly accepts donations of business, business casual, and workwear attire to outfit our clients. If you plan to bring a large donation, please schedule a drop-off appointment using the link below. Appointments allow us to manage inventory more effectively and ensure volunteers are available to help you unload.
  • 🖐 Volunteer opportunities: Volunteers are at the heart of Clothes That Work. By giving just a few hours each week, you can make a lasting difference—whether by sorting donations, assisting clients in choosing professional attire, or supporting special fundraising events. For example, many volunteers help job seekers select the perfect interview outfit, boosting confidence and setting them up for success.
    • Client Coach: Love building confidence? Help clients choose interview or workplace attire and coach them on soft interview skills to set them up for success.
      • Schedule: Monday – Friday 10 AM – 2 PM; occasional 2nd Saturdays 9 AM – 12 PM. Shifts are 3–4 hours.
    • Workshop Facilitator: Enjoy teaching and encouraging others? Facilitate classes and workshops for job seekers using our research-based curriculum. Share your professional experience, lead discussions, and guide hands-on activities. Training and materials are provided.
      • Schedule: Monday – Friday 8 AM – 5 PM, with occasional weekends.
    • Inventory Management: Be part of where it all begins! Welcome clothing donors, help unload items, and sort donations to ensure only the best pieces go to clients. Some lifting may be required.
      • Schedule: Monday – Friday 10 AM – 4 PM; 2nd Saturdays 9 AM – 12 PM. Shifts are 4–5 hours.
    • Boutique Assistant: Have an eye for fashion? Assist shoppers in our boutique, close sales, package purchases, and refresh displays.
      • Schedule: Monday – Thursday 10 AM – 5 PM, Friday 10 AM – 3 PM, 2nd Saturdays 9 AM – 12 PM. Shifts are 3–4 hours, with occasional evening parties (5–7 PM).
    • Mobile Unit Client Coach: Want to help us reach even more communities? Join our Mobile Unit team and guide clients on professionalism, attire selection, and interview skills as we bring our services on the road.

Other Assistance

Miami Valley Community Action Partnership 💰
Multiple programs provide Emergency Home Repairs to eligible households in Darke, Greene, Miami, Montgomery and Preble counties.

  • 💰 Donate money: Be a part of thousands of success stories by donating to the mission of Miami Valley Community Action Partnership.

Disclaimer

The Junior League of Dayton provides this list of community resources for informational purposes only. We do not endorse, guarantee, or assume responsibility for the accuracy, availability, or quality of the services provided by these organizations. Users are encouraged to contact each organization directly to confirm details and determine suitability for their individual needs. The Junior League of Dayton is not liable for any outcomes resulting from the use of these resources.