Since they opened in January 2018, A Place At The Table has served 100,000 cups of coffee and 255,000 meals to people in need — thanks to the help of over 2,000 volunteers annually.
As the first pay-what-you-can cafe and food truck in Raleigh, North Carolina, A Place At The Table has become a pillar in the southeastern city.
It was a nonprofit that founder and executive director Maggie Kane created after joining grassroots efforts to reduce homelessness in her hometown.
“One in seven people are food insecure in Raleigh,” Kane said in a TED Talk. “That’s one in seven people in your row. Think about it that way. One in five children are hungry.”
“That is not okay,” she emphasized. “Knowing these numbers and getting to know so many incredible people experiencing poverty, I knew I needed to do something about it.”
Kane said that their “pay-what-you-can” model brings dignity to and choice to people living on the margins of poverty.
“The best part is you wouldn’t even know we are a nonprofit,” reads a mission statement on the nonprofit’s website.
“To the average consumer, we operate as one of the millions of restaurants you eat at every day. Until a volunteer behind the counter asks, ‘your suggested price is … would you like to pay that price, pay less or volunteer for your meal?’”
In addition to providing people in the community with donated meals, the cafe also regularly employs people experiencing homelessness. After they volunteer for a shift, workers eat for free, all while they build a resume and learn transferable skills for future jobs.
Earlier this week, when the United States Department of Agriculture announced that recipients of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program would lose their benefits on November 1, the nonprofit reaffirmed its commitment to the people who relied on it the most.
“This cafe has always been a place for people,” A Place At The Table posted to social media on October 30. “A place for respite, connection, a welcoming smile, and a good meal.
“Now, perhaps more than ever,” they continued, “our role in this community is essential.”
“As federal assistance like SNAP shrinks, the urgent need for food security remains the same. We know that so many of our neighbors are bracing to feel the impact.”
“While we, like many organizations, aren’t prepared to fill the massive gap this leaves, we want you to know this: We are here. We’re here to offer a warm meal, good conversation, and a space to take a load off when the rest of the world feels heavy.”
“As we all prepare for this increased need, we hope you’ll come and support us by joining us for a meal or paying it forward. By supporting the cafe, you help us continue to show up for everyone who walks through our doors.”
The nonprofit ended the message by extending support to any mutual aid organizations and nonprofits that needed help in the coming days.
“We also want to lift up the incredible work happening around the city,” they wrote. “If you are an organization in need of donations, volunteers, or support to address food insecurity, please get in touch so we can share your needs and help connect you with our community.”
A Place At The Table is located at 300 W Hargett St #50, Raleigh, North Carolina, 27601.
Prospective volunteers can visit their website. A Place At The Table is also accepting online donations to continue their mission of “providing community and good food for all, regardless of means.”
UPDATE: On October 31, two federal judges ruled almost simultaneously that President Donald Trump’s administration must keep funding SNAP, using emergency reserve funds during the government shutdown. At the time of the announcement, the judges allowed the administration discretion to decide whether to finance the program partially or fully in November, with long-term continuance unclear.
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Header image via A Place At The Table
