Every day at St. Vincent de Paul Dayton’s Women and Families Shelter, guests have a choice. They can enjoy the day’s hot meal, grab a bag lunch to take with them, or build their own salad or wrap using fresh vegetables from the shelter’s garden.
To some, it may seem like a small detail.
Serving more than meals, Janet Brubaker, Food Service Manager at St. Vincent de Paul, is being recognized as a 2026 Food Champion in Montgomery County for her dedication, compassion, and collaboration to ensure our Dayton neighbors do not go hungry.
But to Food Service Manager Janet Brubaker, those choices are one more way to help people feel cared for, respected, and empowered during a difficult season of life.
That philosophy of serving meals with dignity is one of the reasons Janet has been named a 2026 Food Champion by Montgomery County. The annual recognition honors individuals who have made outstanding contributions to strengthening and supporting the local food system. Janet will be recognized during the Nourishing Montgomery County event on Aug. 8, as well as at the Dayton Dragons game later that evening.
While Janet is honored by the recognition, she’s quick to shift the focus back to the people she serves.
“I’m really surprised,” she said. “I’m grateful, and I’m humbled by it. It doesn’t feel like work when you love what you do.”
For the past year and a half, Janet has overseen food service operations that provide approximately 20,000 meals each month to shelter guests. Her responsibilities range from managing inventory and coordinating food donations to supervising staff, planning menus, and ensuring meals are prepared and delivered each day.
“One of the many highlights is the relationships I’ve formed with our donors and our partner agencies,” said Janet.
Each morning begins by reviewing food donations that arrived overnight or over the weekend. Janet carefully evaluates what has been received, prioritizes ingredients that need to be used quickly, and finds creative ways to incorporate them into upcoming meals. If another organization is better positioned to use a particular donation, she’ll often coordinate with community partners to ensure nothing goes to waste.
Earlier this year, Janet helped introduce a new salad station at the shelter, giving guests the option to build their own salads or wraps alongside the traditional hot meal or bag lunch. The addition has become a guest favorite while also creating new opportunities to use fresh produce, including vegetables harvested from the shelter’s raised garden beds, which were installed earlier this year.
Janet has also helped expand opportunities for residents in St. Vincent de Paul’s Housing Ministries by leading cooking classes that teach practical ways to prepare healthy meals using common pantry items. The classes give participants an opportunity to cook together, share a meal, and build confidence in the kitchen as they work toward greater stability.
One conversation from those classes has stayed with her.
“I overheard one of the gentlemen saying, ‘Whenever we have a good hot meal, it feels like a blessing,'” Janet said. “It made me feel really good to be able to, in some way, be a part of that.”
Long before joining St. Vincent de Paul Dayton, Janet built a career in food service, beginning with her first job at Bob Evans at 16. She later advanced to general manager, worked in school nutrition programs and prepared specialized meals for hospital patients before learning about an opening at the shelter through a former colleague.
“It kind of fell in my lap,” she said. “I felt like it was a calling, and I’ve loved every day ever since.”
Before joining the organization, Janet was familiar with St. Vincent de Paul’s mission through people close to her who had received support, and she had been a longtime donor herself. Today, she says that mission is reflected in every meal prepared and every relationship built along the way.
“Janet’s recognition celebrates not only her dedication, but the compassion and care she brings to our shelter every single day,” said Angie Grilliot, Executive Director of St. Vincent de Paul Dayton. “She understands that a meal is about more than food. It’s an opportunity to help someone feel welcomed, respected, and supported during a difficult time, and that reflects the heart of our mission.”
As Janet prepares to accept Montgomery County’s 2026 Food Champion Award, she remains focused on what has motivated her from the very beginning.
“Being able to connect with people who are in some of their darkest days and to feed them a good meal that I’m proud of and making their day just a little bit brighter — that’s my favorite part,” said Janet.
To learn more about St. Vincent de Paul Dayton’s Women and Families Shelter and other programs, or to explore ways to support the organization’s mission, visit https://stvincentdayton.org/.