Come to the Table is a project of the Rural Advancement Foundation International – USA (RAFI) in collaboration with the NC Council of Churches. The Come to the Table project works with people of faith and within faith communities to sustain local agriculture and relieve hunger. The project is a collaboration between farmers, farm workers, food pantry directors, community gardeners, ministers, public employees and lay leaders. 

General About the Organization/Mission

Come to the Table aims to engage and mobilize people of faith, farmers, and communities to relieve hunger and improve just and sustainable agriculture in rural North Carolina. Working under the ownership of RAFI, Come to the Table hopes to foster partnerships to create strong, self-sufficient communities full of healthy, fair, and sustainable food.

 Basic Info

Issues of Focus

• Respect: Acknowledge and appreciate the wisdom, resources, skills, and creativity existent in communities, which can help build more self-reliance and prosperity. 
• Diversity: Long-lasting change depends on engagement and collaboration of the entire community.
• Collaboration: Believe in the power and potential of partnerships
• Justice: Maintaining a holistic, comprehensive approach is key to finding solutions that support people and social justice. 

History of Organization

Come to the Table is a project of RAFI USA, whose mission is to “cultivate markets, policies, and communities that sustain thriving, socially just, and environmentally sound family farms”. RAFI was started in Pittsboro, NC in 1990 and now works across the state, southeast and internationally. In 2007, the first Come to the Table Conference was held. The conference brought people of faith, farmers, gardeners, farm workers, educators, health professionals, and community organizations together to talk about relieving hunger and supporting local agriculture. Since 2007, hundreds of people across North Carolina have participated in the annual conference and Come to the Table has grown into a side project of RAFI. 

Programs and Projects 

Regional NC Come to the Table Conference

Each year, Come to the Table hosts a conference in different regions of North Carolina. The conference offers full-day events and opportunity for community leaders to connect and discuss hunger and agriculture on the local level. Conference participants are able to attend plenaries, relevant breakout sessions, lunch, and several networking opportunities. The regional conferences for 2014 already happened, however the program booklet, schedule, and session descriptions are available for each region, here.

Come to the Table Learning Tours

During the summer of 2014, Come to the Table held its first Learning Tour Series. The Learning Tour took place across the state, in three different locations, offering the opportunity to learn about and share different hunger relief efforts, strategies for addressing food security, community gardening, and community building ideas. The tour started in Greensboro where the focus was on practical solutions for addressing food security. Included in the first tour stop were morning workshops and an afternoon of food ministry visits. The second stop was in Fairview, which was geared toward congregation members and/or community-based groups that were interested in starting a garden. The concept of “gardens that give” was explored and leaders in the agricultural community in Fairview spoke. The tour came to a conclusion in Conetoe, where hunger relief and community building efforts were shared.

To learn more about the 2014 Learning Tour or stay updated on the 2015 Learning Tour, visit http://rafiusa.org/cttt/learning-tours/

 Come to the Table Guidebook

Come to the Table has released two publications entitled, “The Come to the Table Guidebook”, which provides a summary of the theology and issues related to farming and food security in North Carolina, easy tools to help identify the needs and resources in a community, example projects for congregations, innovative food access work, and the current status of hunger and agriculture in North Carolina. The two editions of the guidebook can be downloaded for here. Click here. 

Partners and Frequent Collaborators

• RAFI USA
• The Rural Life Committee of the NC Council of Churches
• AmeriCorps VISTA

Future Developments for This Wiki