“I like the hard books now.”

Maya, a third grader in our homework club
CT

Common Table Neighbors

2026

A year of full tables and brave readers

Whose story do you want to follow?

Whose story do you want to follow?

Before: Maya

Mayaa third grader in our homework club

In the fall, Maya kept her reading book under her desk.

She knew the words were in there.

They just would not hold still.

So she made sure nobody ever called on her.

Photo: Maya at her desk with a worksheet

The turn: Common Table Neighbors

With Common Table Neighbors

Twice a week after school, she sat down at the Common Table homework club with her tutor, Ms. Grace.

Photo: A tutor giving a high five to kids at a homework table

After: Maya

By spring she was reading chapter books.

Now she reads to her little brother every night.

Maya

Photo: Maya smiling as she writes in her notebook

The many: 1,240 families like Maya's

1,240

families like Maya's

Up from 860 last year

The numbers and the year

186,000

meals shared

212

kids in homework club

Twice a week, every week

87%

moved up a reading level

Measured each spring

340

volunteers

Feb

Opened our second pantry site

May

First family supper night

Sep

Homework club grew to 212 kids

Nov

The second van hit the road

In their words

In their words

“Our families get a box of food and a warm hello. The hello matters as much as the box.”

Pastor Lena BrooksEastside Community Church, pantry host

“Teachers can tell which kids go to homework club. They come in ready.”

Mr. OkaforPrincipal, Lincoln Elementary

“Every Saturday I see the same van and the same smile. It makes the week.”

RuthNeighbor on the delivery route

What made it possible: where the money went

Where the money went

$679K put to work

Food for families 59%

186,000 meals, stocked every week

Where it came from: Individual donors $312K, Grants $268K, Local businesses $94K, Events $41K

Made possible by our donors

Made possible by

  • The Alvarez Family
  • Jordan and Sam Okafor
  • Lead sponsor
  • Riverside Credit Union
  • The Lindqvist Fund
  • Priya Raman
  • Marcus and Tia Bell
  • Harbor Street Books
  • The Nakamura Family
  • and everyone who gave to Common Table Neighbors this year

Common Table Neighbors, 2026

CT

Common Table Neighbors 2026

Made possible by you.

Your part: a note from our director

Every meal and every book in this report started with someone like you deciding to help.

Thank you for another year at the table.

Dana Whitfield, Executive Director

Your part

Be part of next year

$100 gives 4 weeks of groceries for a family

Give $100 to Common Table Neighbors

Opens Common Table Neighbors’s giving page with $100 filled in. You can change it there.