Our November Share the Plate Recipient is Open Table Nashville

Open Table Nashville is a non-profit, interfaith community that disrupts cycles of poverty, journeys with the marginalized and provides education about issues of homeOpen Table Nashville takes a stand on the side of people experiencing homelessness, and works for justice by fostering personal and systemic transformation. In July Tennessee became the first state to enact a law that makes it a misdemeanor if a person camps on or near a state roadway, and makes it a felony to camp on public property. Please give, to provide urgently needed help.

Consistent with our 1st and 2nd principles, OpenTable Nashville’s services for the homeless and recently homeless include:

Street Outreach: Our day-to-day outreach activities start with meeting people where they are—geographically, mentally, emotionally, physically, and spiritually—and working with them to form trusting relationships. From there, we help folks navigate complex social services systems so they can obtain needed resources like ID/driver’s licenses, birth certificates, social security cards, SNAP benefits, transportation, clothing, camping supplies, mental & physical health care, employment, substance abuse treatment, counseling, transitional and permanent housing, and housing retention services. 

Cold Weather Response: Due to COVID our outreach efforts look different than previous years. Our outreach workers focus on daytime canvassing to do supply drops, wellness checks, and provide information on accessing evening shelter sites. Evening canvassing will begin at 7 p.m. and focus on the downtown area. We will coordinate pick-up spots in outlying areas. 

Housing Retention: Open Table Nashville’s Retention Coordinator works directly with our newly housed friends to make sure they have the support they need to thrive in their new home. Specifically, we make sure our friends have a plan to prevent eviction, access to nutritious food, options for employment, and emotional support in their new environment.

Resource Shelters: Open Table Nashville, in partnership with local congregations, hosts Resource Shelters on the second and fourth Fridays of every month. Resource Shelters provide our friends living on the streets with a warm, safe place to stay for a night, and provide our outreach workers with the time and space necessary to work with our friends to complete essential steps in securing permanent housing. 

Resource Line: This call-in service connects people to direct financial assistance, helps community members with giving donations, provides people with referrals to partner agencies, and directs people’s questions to the appropriate Open Table Nashville staff members.