GOOD NEWS OHIO — Dayton’s Feast of Giving, the free Thanksgiving meal that has welcomed the community since 1969, will feature a new partner this year: Blue Star Families, the nation’s largest chapter-based military family support organization, will join the feast to spotlight the hidden problem of food insecurity among military families, according to an announcement published by Dayton937.
The partnership carries particular weight in the Dayton region, home to Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, the Springfield Air National Guard Base and one of Ohio’s largest veteran populations, Dayton937 reported. The Feast has offered a stigma-free table to everyone since 1969, and organizers say the partnership makes sure military households know that seat is theirs.
"Most people would be surprised to learn that military families right here in our community struggle to afford groceries," Feast of Giving Director Steve Paris told Dayton937. "We’re honored to welcome Blue Star Families and to show those who serve, and their families, that Dayton has their back."
The numbers behind the effort are stark. Nearly one in four active-duty service members struggled to put enough food on the table over the course of a year, according to U.S. Department of Defense survey data cited by Dayton937, and 28% of active-duty families reported low or very low food security in 2025, up from 16% in 2023, according to Blue Star Families’ 2025 Military Family Lifestyle Survey. Frequent moves, child care costs, spouse unemployment and benefit rules that count housing allowances as income all contribute, the announcement said.
"Food insecurity among military families is real and often invisible," Geri Maples, director of Blue Star Families Ohio, told Dayton937. "Partnerships like this one help ensure families feel supported by the communities they serve." Blue Star Families will host a welcoming space for military families in the community room at the feast and, with other partners, will distribute free cold-weather essentials.
The 2026 Feast of Giving will be held on Thanksgiving Day, Thursday, Nov. 26, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Dayton Convention Center. Everyone is welcome to the free meal, entertainment and fellowship, according to Dayton937; RTA rides are free systemwide on Thanksgiving Day and parking is free in the connected garage.
Maples encouraged every local military family to make the Feast of Giving part of their holiday plans, Dayton937 reported. Those who cannot attend but want to support the effort can donate through feastofgiving.org, according to the announcement.
Photo: Steve Morgan, CC BY-SA