Welcome to The Good Table Cafe!
Welcome to your “home away from home”! The Good Table Café, is a unique pay-what-you-can and pay-it-forward community café operating as an 501(c)(3) organization in the San Francisco East Bay Area. The primary goal of The Good Table Café is to decrease food insecurity and social isolation within the El Sobrante community by offering an affirming place for all to gather with dignity regardless of means or ability to pay.
At first glance, The Good Table Cafe looks like any another great coffeeshop featuring: Proyecto Diaz Coffee • Sol y Luna Teas • Acme pastries • Boichik bagels • Pinoli Farmhouse Kitchen breads, spreads and baked goods • plus salads & sandwiches from El Cerrito Natural Grocery.
Our mission, however, is so much more! Founded by Melinda V. McLain with initial funding from The Good Table United Church of Christ, our nonprofit community organization aims to serve the community in multiple ways. We call it the “triple bottom-line”.
The Power of a Triple Bottom Line
During our initial planning process a triple bottom line emerged, which The Good Table Café is committed to as a business framework.
We aim to:
Be financially sustainable through pay-it-forward donations to make all our offerings accessible to all.
Offer measurable social services in what is a “service” desert. If members of our immediate community are experiencing family violence, homelessness, or have other social service needs, it is often a difficult bus ride to reach help in Richmond and/or Martinez. While we will not offer services directly onsite, we can serve as an entry portal and referral service that connects the dots between neighbors in need and the help they deserve.
Provide for the ethical and spiritual well-being of the community by offering activities, workshops, and classes that lift spirits, raise awareness, and celebrate the arts and our local performers and makers.
Community-Focused and Community-Led
Our Community Advisory Board (CAB) and Board of Directors are supported by amazing volunteers, a small program staff, and our cafe baristas. The CAB is divided into four teams that curate, organize, and host our offerings.
• The Marketplace Team is in charge of the local food and craft cafe marketplace and building art exhibits and can be reached via marketplace@the-good-table.org.
• The Wellness Team works with local practitioners to schedule and support a wide variety of activities that promote healthy living. They can be reached via wellness@the-good-table.org
• The Performing Arts Team is busy planning music, dance, theater, and other activities to celebrate our local performing artists and can be reached via arts@the-good-table.org
• The Education Team is paying attention to community needs for education for folks of all ages by linking local teachers, leaders and experts to interested neighbors and they can be reached via education@the-good-table.org
The Good Table Cafe Board of Directors
Led by founder McLain, the Vice-President of the board is Rev. Theresa Hardy. Andy Weill is the Treasurer. Teri Edlinger is the Secretary and Jason Daniel is an at-large member of the board. Together this small band of folks has made sure that the organization is healthy and properly-staffed to serve the community.