After 36 years, the Day of Caring Pancake Brunch is ending due to lack of volunteers

Pax said other churches and organizations might continue the brunch tradition next year but they would do so on their own.

“The bottom line is that it has become difficult to find volunteers to coordinate all of the activities each year,” said Pax. “There are various churches that have shown interest in keeping the tradition for 2027. For this year, however, we have 19 sites participating, and as in the past all the proceeds will go to the needy. We will be asking for donations or personal hygiene products.”

The history

Thirty-six years ago, Janaki Venkayya of Beavercreek was determined to tackle the problem of hunger and homelessness in the Miami Valley by raising awareness and funds through a one-day pancake brunch. She dubbed it the “Day of Caring,” and enlisted the aid of 12 churches and 250 volunteers who served as many as 3,000 breakfasts that first year and raised $8,000.

Now, 36 years later, the event has become a beloved annual tradition with dozens of churches and service organizations involved. On Sunday, Feb. 22, an estimated 4,000 guests will chow down on pancakes and sausage in an effort to help those less fortunate.

“The uncertainty about the future is greater today than when we started 36 years ago,” Venkayya said. “Nowadays we don’t even know who could be standing in the lines for food and shelter. It might be someone who had a good job a year ago.”

Venkayya remembers going from business to business and church to church to promote the event.

“We had the support of so many friends and personalities, such as Martin Sheen, Dale Hoffman, Kim Farris, Bucks Braun and Jim Bucher and so many others that helped kick start our thirty-six year endeavor to help the needy.”

The hope this year is to raise $15,000 for local emergency hunger and housing coalitions. In addition to Montgomery County and the City of Dayton, Greene, Preble and Clark counties are also involved. Sites in Cincinnati and Springfield are also participating with money from ticket sales going back to the county in which they were raised.

The East Dayton Fellowship, located at 3520 East Third Street, will serve as a free site in Dayton. The serving times are 9 am to 10 am.

“We are excited to support the efforts at East Dayton Fellowship,” said Pax. “Providing a free meal to the needy is exactly the mission of the Day of Caring.”

Though most sites offer the traditional sausage and eggs along with the pancakes, organizations are welcome to add their own specialties. Some sites include fresh fruit, or an omelet bar. All sites will have carry-out available.

Venkayya said the “Day of Caring” has raised over $1 million in donations to agencies ranging from The Foodbank and Habitat for Humanity to Green County Mobile Meals and St. Vincent De Paul. In the years before Covid, as many as 50 sites participated and as many as 7,000 people attended.

Pax said 2011 was their most successful year.

“We had close to 50 sites and raised a total of $40,000 for the homeless and hungry that year.”

Cost of the brunch is $7 for an adult, $5 for seniors and children. A complete list of brunch sites and the times they will operate can be found at the Day of Caring 365 Web site: www.dayofcaring365.org. For more information, call 937-931-2850.

Hygiene items needed

More recently, the organization established the Simply Essential Hygiene Pantry and changed its name to Day of Caring 365 to reflect the organization’s commitment to serving the needy 365 days a year. The hygiene pantry provides local pantries and shelters with basic items that cannot be purchased with food stamps.

“Roberta Shiverdecker was a driving force in growing and establishing the pantry,” said Pax. “Sadly, Roberta passed away suddenly in August of 2018. It seemed fitting that we re-name the pantry Roberta’s Simply Essential Hygiene Pantry.”

This year patrons are again being asked to bring a personal hygiene product to the Day of Caring Pancake Brunch. Collection boxes will be available at each site.

Items most needed include:

Email robertaspantry@gmail.com for more information on how to donate or help Roberta’s Pantry. You can also donate items to the pantry throughout the year at WesBanco bank located at 1243 North Fairfield Road, Dayton, OH 45432.

Meredith Moss writes about Dayton-area nonprofit organizations and their specific needs. If your group has a wish list it would like to share with our readers, contact Meredith: meredith.moss@coxinc.com. Please include a daytime phone number and a photo that reflects your group’s mission.