Partner Spotlight: Our Daily Bread

July 9, 2025

What started with a handful of volunteers serving hot dogs and sandwiches on a street corner has blossomed into a thriving community meal operation serving nearly 50,000 meals annually in Middletown, Delaware.

Brian Farragher serves as the Executive Director of Our Daily Bread. Founded in 2012, the organization began as a grassroots effort to meet the most basic human need—food. Local residents distributed meals directly to individuals in need, later expanding their outreach. When a former county health clinic building became vacant, the founding group saw an opportunity. After raising $150,000, they transformed the space into a welcoming dining room and commercial kitchen.

“We want everyone who walks through our doors to feel like they’re dining at a restaurant—not a soup kitchen,” said volunteer and ServSafe Manager Joanne Clement”

In 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic forced the dining room to close temporarily. But the team didn’t stop feeding people. They quickly adapted to a takeout model—and it’s a model that stuck. Of the 48,600 meals served last year, about 90% were distributed through a contactless, drive-up format. There are no questions asked—only “How many meals do you need?”

It’s a system based on trust and dignity. “We don’t ask where they’re from or why they need 10 meals. We know they’re feeding family, neighbors, or saving food for the next day,” said Joanne.”

Roughly 300 volunteers support the organization annually, with about 100 regulars showing up weekly or monthly. The kitchen serves dinner Monday through Friday and lunch on Tuesdays and Thursdays. On a typical day, 200 meals are prepared and served.

In 2022, the team launched a community refrigerator outside the building, allowing 24/7 access to food. While there was initial uncertainty about how it would work, it’s been an incredible success. “People come at all hours. Sometimes at 2 a.m.,” explained Brian. “When the fridge is stocked, it doesn’t take long before the food is gone.”

To help stock both the community fridge and meal service, the team launched a food rescue program. What began with a few small pickups has grown into a network of 15–16 food rescue partners, including regular donations from Giant and others coordinated through the Food Bank of Delaware. In June alone, over 24,000 pounds of food were rescued, up from just 3,000 pounds a year ago.

Volunteers are also involved in logistics, from transporting rescued food to organizing meal prep. Still, managing change within a largely volunteer-run operation poses its challenges. “Rolling out new programs takes time and a lot of patience,” Brian explained. “But our volunteers are amazing. We couldn’t do this without them.”

Community partnerships have also been critical for Our Daily Bread’s operations. Churches, 55+ communities, and school faculties volunteer to serve on assigned days, providing consistency.

With limited staffing on weekends, the team found a creative solution: sandwich-making. Community groups have come together to make over 4,000 sandwiches this year, stocked in the community fridge over weekends when hot meals aren’t served.

While the organization doesn’t offer case management or distribute clothing, it’s become a beacon of stability and compassion in the community. “There are so many people who just can’t make ends meet—older residents living on limited incomes, folks working multiple jobs, people choosing between food and medicine,” explained Joanne. “We want them to know this is a place where they’re welcomed and valued.”

To learn more about Our Daily Bread, click here.