Family Table Collaborative: Cape Cod’s Community Kitchen
October 25, 2022
At Children’s Cove, we often meet families during a tumultuous challenge in their lives. For some families, supporting a child after a traumatic sexual assault can be daunting. One of the essential elements in the healing process for children and families is tangible support in times of need. While the need can vary from family to family, over the last few years, there has been an increase in requests for access to healthy and nutritious food.
In 2020, during the initial onslaught of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Family Table Collaborative (FTC), a new Yarmouth-based non-profit organization, was established to address food and nutritional insecurity throughout Cape Cod. Co-founders Jeni Wheeler and Harry Henry envisioned FTC as a rapid response program to address the immediate needs of families and seniors struggling with food insecurity.
FTC has prepared and distributed more than 95,000 nutritious and delicious meals, soups, and other food items in addition to over 25,000 lbs. of fresh produce into our community.”
Working out of borrowed kitchens, and with a host of community partners, FTC started distributing healthy prepared meals directly to individuals and families during the pandemic. However, they recognized that nutritional security on Cape Cod is a full-time, year-round crisis. Since then, FTC has prepared and distributed more than 95,000 nutritious and delicious meals, soups, and other food items in addition to over 25,000 lbs. of fresh produce into our community.
The mission of FTC is to end hunger and improve nutritional security on Cape Cod by breaking down the barriers of access to both prepared meals and nutritional education. FTC is able to distribute delicious, nutritious, prepared meals directly to individuals and families across Cape Cod through their partnerships with the local farms, the fishing industry, and their newest Community Partner, Whole Foods Market, which delivers one hundred cases of food to FTC weekly.
FTC established its headquarters in 2021 at the former Riverway Lobster House property, which now serves as its base of operations. In addition to its mission, FTC also has the goal to become a self-sustaining non-profit that will become a nutritional hub of Cape Cod.
With the support of an army of volunteers, local businesses, grassroot fundraising and charitable donations, FTC has never missed a planned meal distribution. With each delivery, or directly at the Riverway, the FTC provides a warm, welcoming, comfortable, and supportive environment which is felt deeply by those who have benefited from their support. It’s hard for those who are already having a difficult time to ask for more, but at the Family Table Collaborative, everyone has a seat at their table – no questions asked. They are willing to meet each person where they are at and recognize that healthier humans make healthier communities. We appreciate the work they do for our community, and the support they have provided the families we both serve.
To learn more about the Family Table Collaborative, please visit their website here.
