He said yes in 2014—and look what happened
One question. One person who believed.
And now, two cities, two more pay-what-you-can cafes,
and a whole lot of love.
Hey Table Family!
I don’t talk much about the origin story of Table. So much has happened since then, it is wild to think about.
But this weekend I got to revisit those early days, and I came away with so much gratitude–both for the folks who believed in the idea from the start and for you, the folks who keep believing, keep showing up, keep supporting this vision of welcome and the concrete ways it plays out in our city.
So here’s a little piece of that origin story and how something that started as an idea grew both deep roots and wide-reaching branches, thanks to you.
“Should we open a pay-what-you-can café?”
That’s the question I asked Scott Phillips in 2014. We were crammed into his tiny church office, me, nervous and full of ideas all over a notebook, and Scott, calm and steady as always.
He didn’t hesitate. He didn’t laugh. He just said, “Let’s do it.”
He believed in the dream before it had a name (and also helped come up with our name), he visited our mentor cafe, FARM Cafe, with me for the first time, and when he moved to a new church in Brighton, Michigan, before we even opened our doors, he started telling them about this wild vision too.
Fast forward to this weekend. I stood in that church, Scott’s church now, and got to share what’s happened since those early days. I told stories of the millions of meals served, the volunteers who keep showing up, the daily moments of dignity and connection. I looked out at faces who’ve been praying for us, giving to us, believing in us for almost a decade, and I can’t even describe how incredible it felt to be with them. It was like being with family.
Because they didn’t just support a café. They helped birth an early movement.
And while I was there, I was also able to visit The Ivy Table, a brand-new pay-what-you-can café in Brighton, MI that opened in April. Y’all, we’ve been cheering each other on from afar for years. And now they’re doing it. They are creating their own version of exactly what we dreamed of in that tiny Raleigh office: a place where everyone eats, everyone belongs, and everyone is treated with dignity.
I spoke to their community and shared what I’ve come to believe with my whole heart:
This work isn’t about food.
It’s about love.
It’s about seeing people as human beings before anything else.
It’s about showing up again and again, especially when the world feels heavy.
I reminded them what I have to remind myself of often at 5am when I can’t sleep:
We aren’t just feeding people.
We are feeding community.
We’re building a world where everyone gets a place at the table.
Being in both of those places–one that’s just getting started, and one that’s been walking with us from the very beginning– left me overwhelmed with emotion in the best way. It reminded me that we’re not alone in this. That what we started in Raleigh has deep roots now…and branches that spread further than we probably even know. That this thing is bigger than all of us.
So thank you. For believing. For giving. For volunteering, eating, hugging, donating, and reminding us why we keep going.
This isn’t just a café. It’s a community movement. And you’re part of it. We couldn’t do it without you, and we certainly wouldn’t want to–it’s as true now as it was in the very beginning.
PS. Adria re-did this newsletter template. Isn’t it awesome? Holy moly is she talented!!!!!!! Thanks, Adria!!
With deepest gratitude,
Maggie
