One Dublin Provides Free Backpacks and School Supplies for Families in Need

In Dublin—a city of 48,923 people with a median household income of $155,282—some children will begin the 2026 school year relying on a nonprofit for backpacks, pencils and notebooks their families cannot afford.

One Dublin, a nonprofit serving individuals and families in the Dublin City School District who are temporarily in need, is distributing free backpacks and school supplies for the 2026 back-to-school season.

The need is easy to overlook in a city where the official poverty rate is just 2.5%, according to U.S. Census Bureau data. But about 3,700 Dublin City Schools students are eligible for free and reduced-price breakfast and lunch, and about 23% of the district's students are considered economically disadvantaged. Dublin City Schools serves about 16,000 to 17,000 students across 25 schools.

Beyond the schools, more than 4,700 Dublin households live on less than $35,000 per year, according to Dublin Food Pantry reports. Another 10.5% of households earn below 80% of Area Median Income. Housing costs add to the strain: Among owner-occupant households, 17.7% pay more than 30% of their income toward housing. The most cost-burdened households are renters with annual incomes under $35,000.

Those figures help explain why households earning well above the federal poverty line can still struggle to afford basics such as school supplies in a city with high living and housing costs. Dublin Food Pantry, a community organization serving Dublin neighbors experiencing food insecurity, uses an income-based eligibility system under which a family of four earning $60,000 or less qualifies for assistance. The pantry also offers monthly Pop-Up Pantries for school families and provides healthy snacks for student-athletes experiencing food insecurity at three Dublin schools. For the 2026-2027 school year, reduced-price meals in Dublin City Schools cost $0.00 because Ohio's budget now covers the reduced-price breakfast and lunch charge for qualifying K-12 students.

One Dublin's back-to-school program fills another part of that gap by helping ensure students begin the year with the tools they need to learn, regardless of household income. The organization was formed in 2006 as a 501(c)(3). It began as Welcome Warehouse after a small Bible study responded to the needs of local families. Its mission is to "share hope and help with one another in times of need."

The program's community partners are Aramark Student Nutrition and Dublin Food Pantry. Sponsors include Cenovus, the City of Dublin, Dublin City Schools, Dublin Community Foundation, Indian Run United Methodist Church and the Olivia Claire Obrokta Foundation. Their involvement underscores broader questions about equity and community responsibility in a city where corporate sponsors and municipal resources are abundant, yet thousands of households live on modest incomes.

Families can obtain supplies through One Dublin's Community Free Shop at 7032 Hospital Drive, Dublin, OH 43016. They must live in the Dublin City School District and show proof of residency, but no referral is required. Families may access the shop once every three months. Each visit, they must present a valid Ohio ID and a current utility bill or lease. School supplies are among the services available through the shop's programs.

Residents with donation or volunteer questions can email [email protected]. Drive-thru donations are accepted at Indian Run United Methodist Church, 6305 Brand Road, Dublin, typically on the first Saturday of the month from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m.