A Seat At The Table
- Ellen Damaschino
- Apr 22
- 3 min read
At Stone Soup PDX, the importance of cooking food for our community is obvious—after all, it’s what we do every day. But it’s more than just our mission—it’s at the very heart of who we are. Through our daily work in the kitchen and our workforce training program, we not only prepare meals, we prepare people. We help our participants build skills and confidence so they can step into the food service industry and begin their own journeys feeding their communities in meaningful ways.
And while the focus is often on the making of the food—the chopping, stirring, plating, and delivering—sometimes the bigger, deeper impact comes from what happens when the food is shared. At Stone Soup PDX, this happens every single day.
Around noon, a quiet hum turns into cheerful motion. Our staff, our participants, and often a few of our graduates line up along our prep counters. They help themselves to a hot, hearty lunch cooked by either the kitchen team or participants in training that day. The meals are generous, colorful, and made with care. Heaping plates are carried to our communal table or into our welcoming café space, and then, something beautiful begins: the conversation.
It’s at the table, with full plates and open hearts, that we begin to unwind. We put our work aside, even if just for a short while, and settle in to enjoy the moment. This is when stories are told. This is when laughter bubbles up and new friendships take root. This is where the joy of eating together shifts the energy in the room, replacing stress or fatigue with a sense of connection and belonging.
This isn’t something new. It’s something food has done for thousands of years.
The simple act of sitting down and sharing a meal brings people together in a way few other things can. It breaks down walls. It makes room for understanding. When we eat together, we listen differently. We share more freely. We begin to see one another not just as coworkers or classmates, but as fellow travelers on a shared journey. Around our table, we’ve seen people who were once shy and quiet become storytellers. We’ve seen the spark of mentorship. We’ve seen vulnerability turn into strength and isolation give way to community.
This is where our values truly come to life.
The power of eating together each day strengthens and reinforces the core values of our organization: dignity, support, trust, community, and belonging. These aren’t just words on a piece of paper—they are practiced daily, one meal at a time. In sharing lunch together, we are reminded that everyone deserves a seat at the table, and that every person who joins us brings something valuable—whether it’s a story, a perspective, or simply their presence.
When we prepare meals for the wider community, we know we’re not just sending out delicious, nutritious food. We’re sending out something more. Embedded in every bite are the same values we practice in our own space. Each container holds the care, respect, and love we show each other in our kitchen. And we trust that those receiving our meals will feel that. That they too will gather, sit down, and find connection at a table of their own.
That’s the ripple effect of what we do. It starts in our kitchen, in our training rooms, at our lunch table. It travels through the meals we deliver, the participants we train, and the graduates who go on to feed others in restaurants, cafes, and community centers.
At Stone Soup, we believe deeply that food is more than sustenance. It’s a bridge. A comfort. A celebration. A conversation. And most importantly, it’s an invitation—to belong, to contribute, to connect.
So, when we say everyone deserves a seat at the table, we mean it. Not just literally, but emotionally and socially. We work every day to create a place where that seat is always ready, always welcoming, and always full of potential. Whether it’s your first day in our program or your last, whether you’re a longtime staff member or a visitor just dropping in, when it’s noon and the food is ready, there’s a place for you.
Come hungry. Leave full—in more ways than one.