About Us

Common Table grew out of the findings of the very first Everybody Counts event in 2014, which aimed to discover the number of homeless persons in Manhattan. Their survey found that food insecurity was a top issue facing those living in poverty and those who are homeless. After learning this, several members of that planning board got together to brainstorm solutions and created the idea of Common Table.

Common Table is a collaboration of the current churches that currently offer a free community meal. Our purpose is to share best practices, concerns, and insights to improve our offerings, and to expand our capacity to offer a meal every night of the week by bringing in more partners and expanding the capabilities of the partners we already have. We started serving three dinners a week and have now grown in capacity to serve dinner every single evening. We also offer several breakfasts and sack lunches throughout the week. 

We partner with the Food & Farm Council which provides hundreds of pounds of food, picked up by volunteers and delivered to the participating churches to serve at their community meals. 

We are a 501(c)(3) organization, allowing us to qualify for grants and other donations. This will further our mission of feeding the hungry and bringing the community together. In 2024, we will be moving to a single location at 901 Poyntz, the Lincoln Education Center, with the advantage of being able to serve dinner from one consistent location and time.

The bottom line is that no one should be hungry. Common Table inviteseveryone to join us for a hot meal in peace and with dignity.