‘Good Food, Good Times’

Community Table Growing But Needs Help

“Great folks, great food, great fun.”

That’s how David McCormick describes his experience of being a regular diner Monday evenings at The Community Table, the “restaurant without a register” that serves free, nutritious meals to folks from all walks of life.

McCormick was enjoying a meal of pork tenderloin, garlic mashed potatoes, par-boiled mixed vegetables, a roll and spice cake on a recent Monday, Nov. 11, which happened to be Veterans Day. He was dining with his wife, Trish, and his father, Preston, a veteran of the U.S. Army who was recognized, along with other veterans present, for their service to the country.

All three said they come to these weekly gatherings not only for the delicious, wellbalanced meals, but also for the camaraderie with fellow diners – the opportunity to get to know people they likely would have otherwise never met.

Those who patronize The Community Table represent See Community , page 2 diverse backgrounds, including different levels of economic attainment. While the aim is to ensure everyone in the community has access to nutritious meals, a key objective is to bring people together from various segments of the community.

The meals are free to all, regardless of income or need. There is a donation box on a table, just inside the front door, in which patrons who are so inclined can inconspicuously slip in a contribution to help support The Community Table.

“We have servers who wait on you. This is fine dining – we have cloth napkins and cloth tablecloths,” said Tammy Reid, assistant treasurer for the non-profit organization. “Everybody can sit down and enjoy each other’s company. We encourage people to mingle. It’s an opportunity for people to get to know each other. It connects those at risk of hunger with those able and willing to assist.”

There is a “huge hunger problem in the Rockbridge area,” Reid insists. She said 12 percent of the local population “has an inability to receive regular nutritional meals.”

The Community Table is here to help with this issue, said Ginger Bomar, board president. “Demand is growing. We serve 200 meals during our Monday night dinners [from 6 to 7 p.m.] We distribute meals in Fairfield on Fridays [10 a.m. to noon] and serve lunches here on Wednesdays from noon to 1.”

The location for the Monday dinners and the Wednesday lunches is the downstairs dining room of the Rockbridge Area Relief Association Piovano Building, 350 Spotswood Dr., Lexington. The Friday lunches are served in the fellowship hall of the Fairfield Presbyterian Church, 5508 N. Lee Highway.

“This is a personal place for patrons,” said Bomar of the Piovano dining room. “We see a lot of the same people each week. We see people from all walks of life. Some people are ill and have to pick up their meals. We see elderly, disabled. We see migrants – we try to help connect them with local resources. There are lowincome people [for whom] having weekly meals is helpful. We see a lot of single mothers.”

Reid emphasizes that “all of our meals are nutritional. We’ll have a protein, a starch, a vegetable, a salad. Area churches donate desserts. We have many groups, businesses and organizations who provide volunteers.”

A growing demand for what they’re providing has prompted The Community Table to hold its first major fundraiser. (See separate story.) “We’re running on donations and grants,” explained Reid. “The rising cost of food is making it harder to provide.”

Donations they receive are well spent. “For every dollar donated, 92 cents goes to the program,” she said. Caterers who prepare the meals on a rotating basis charge less than retail for what they provide. “They are proud of their partnership with us,” said Reid. “They try to help us as much as they can.”

Reid expressed confidence that the community will respond with generosity to entreaties for monetary support. “Sustainability is what we’re striving for. … We live in a wonderful community with wonderful resources. There is a need. We’re neighbors helping neighbors.”

Having been in existence since 2011, The Community Table’s board is going through a period of transition. Bomar and Reid both came on the board just in the past year, and they’re seeking others from within the community who would like to join them.

“We have a very committed group of people,” said Bomar. “It’s so exciting – we have people who are very creative and innovative. We encourage interest in joining our board. There is room for more. We’re always in need of talented and motivated individuals to join our board.”

An abundance of volunteers contributes greatly to the mission’s success. Debbie Dejardins is one such volunteer who has been involved “almost from the start. Soon after it opened I was busing tables, serving as a waitress. I then moved to the kitchen. I was very committed to this project. I’ve met people that I would not have met in the normal walks of life. … I’ve developed friendships … It’s been a wonderful experience.”

Linda Johnson, who volunteers on Wednesdays and Fridays, has been with the program since she retired from her job at the Washington University School of Law three or four years ago. She says there’s definitely a need for the service they are providing.

“There have been more people recently. I think people are having trouble – there are more people who are older but we’re seeing more young people recently. I think young people are having trouble too. There’s a real uptick on that.”

Johnson said she finds the work rewarding. “It’s a good program. It’s very well received. … The people I work with are really nice. Most are retired. It’s been a great experience. It gets me out of the house. Anybody that wants to volunteer should do it.”

Being on the receiving end of the services has its rewards too. “The overall experience is phenomenal,” said McCormick, one of the diners on Nov. 11. “It’s good food, good company and good times. We love the servers. We love the people who volunteer.”

“I love the atmosphere. There’s always great food,” said Michelle Cash, who was dining with several family members, including three children, also on Nov. 11. Longtime regulars, she said the children have “practically been raised” at these meals and have been befriended by other adult diners who “adopted” them.

Her sister, Cynthia Cash, said they’ve been coming to the meals “from the beginning.” A favorite menu item the family loves is barbecue on a bun. They also like the chicken cordon bleu. They love the food, fellowship and live music that used to be a regular feature of the meals, prior to the pandemic. Live music is slated to return during the upcoming holidays, according to Reid.

The Community Table was founded by local philanthropist and businessman Russell Tompkins, who modeled the program after a similar one in Eau Claire, Wisc. The mission, states its website, is to “provide healthy, delicious meals to our neighbors at risk for hunger in a dignified, welcoming and inclusive, restaurant-style experience. We address food insecurity and strengthen the community through the timeless activity of sharing meals together.”

The Community Table is truly a community endeavor. Local caterers who provide their services, rotating for the Monday evening dinners, include Sweet Treats, Kenny’s Catering, Lexington Catering (Southern Inn), Globowl, JJ’s Meat Shak and Hogback Mountain. Additional caterers who would like to get involved are encouraged to do so.

Providing desserts on a regular basis are the following area churches – Good Shepherd Lutheran, Grace Memorial Episcopal, Manly Memorial Baptist, Trinity Episcopal, Grace Presbyterian, Lexington Presbyterian, St John’s United Methodist, Rockbridge Church and Lexington Church of Latter-day Saints, along with Alice Corell’s bridge group and Rockbridge County High School students in McKenzey Robinson’s Hospitality class.

The Community Table’s food sources include RARA, Campus Kitchen at Washington and Lee University and other area donors.

“We’ve had wonderful support from RARA,” said Bomar. “This is their building and we rent this space. They’ve always been supportive and cooperative.”

Initially a dine-in only experience, The Community Table pivoted during the pandemic to curbside service. After the pandemic subsided, dine-in service resumed but the curbside service remained in place. A majority of patrons continue to utilize the curbside service. During a typical Monday evening meal, 160 curbside orders will be collected and 40 people will dine in.

Even so, the heart of The Community Table remains the dine-in experience for those of diverse backgrounds.

“This is more than ‘grab a meal and head out the door,’” notes Reid. “This is an opportunity to sit down, relax and enjoy a community experience.”