August.2026

The Francis Kitchen will be preparing and serving lunch at The Haven in Charlottesville, VA on Friday, August 28, 2026. We are excited to have several of our Board Members and other Francis Kitchen Friends sharing their talents to have prepare a healthy and delicious meal for our Haven Community! The menu will be chicken quarters with onion and mushroom gravy, rice, garden salad (with assorted dressings), dinner roll, cookies and fruit! Thank you to those who have made this Pop-Up possible!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

July.2026

Learning from Three Tables

Reflections from JBJ Soul Kitchen, A Place at the Table, and The Haven

When The Francis Kitchen was still just a dream taking shape, I knew one thing for certain—I didn’t want to reinvent the wheel.

There were already organizations doing extraordinary work, serving meals with dignity, compassion, and hospitality. Rather than trying to create something from my own ideas alone, I wanted to learn from those who had already walked this path.

Recently, almost back to back, I had the privilege of visiting three remarkable organizations: JBJ Soul Kitchen in Toms River, New Jersey; A Place at the Table in Raleigh, North Carolina; and The Haven in Charlottesville, Virginia.

At first glance, all three have something in common. They feed people. They welcome everyone. They believe that every person deserves dignity.

But after spending time in each place, I realized they are not simply different versions of the same idea.

Each organization has its own identity.

Its own philosophy.

Its own way of expressing hospitality.

I began this journey hoping to discover the “right” model for The Francis Kitchen.

Instead, I discovered something much more valuable.

I discovered that there isn’t one.

JBJ Soul Kitchen

Learning the “Why”

My journey began at JBJ Soul Kitchen, a place that has inspired me for years.

Jake and I had visited many times as paying guests, often bringing friends and family along with us. Every visit left us encouraged and inspired, and in many ways, JBJ Soul Kitchen became the spark that eventually grew into the vision for The Francis Kitchen.

This visit was different.

Instead of dining in the restaurant, I had the incredible opportunity to spend a lunch service behind the scenes. I arrived with a notebook full of questions—probably more than anyone should ask in a single afternoon—and the staff graciously answered every one of them.

Mostly, I observed.

I watched.

I listened.

I learned.

What surprised me most wasn’t finding my ideas confirmed.

It was discovering how many of my assumptions were completely wrong.

There were policies I thought worked one way that actually worked another. There were systems I assumed would be complicated that turned out to be beautifully simple. There were challenges I had never even considered.

Those moments were gifts.

Every assumption that was challenged made room for a better understanding.

Rather than leaving with a blueprint to copy, I left with a deeper appreciation for the intentionality behind every decision they had made.

JBJ Soul Kitchen taught me that a successful community restaurant is not simply about serving meals.

It is about creating dignity, building relationships, and inviting an entire community to care for one another.

A Place at the Table

Learning the Work

If JBJ Soul Kitchen allowed me to observe, A Place at the Table invited me to participate.

Before our volunteer days, Jake and I had already spent time with founder Maggie Kane asking what probably felt like a million questions. By the time we returned, we understood the mission.

Now it was time to experience the work.

And work we did.

Over two days, we volunteered in nearly every volunteer role imaginable. We greeted guests, served food and drinks, bussed and cleaned tables, swept the floor, rolled silverware, washed and dried dishes, and jumped into whatever needed to be done.

By the end of the first day, I was exhausted.

The café is open from 8:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m., and after we finished, I went back to the hotel, put on my pajamas at 2:30 in the afternoon, and took the best nap ever.

It was wonderful.

It also gave me an entirely new appreciation for the people who make this work happen every single day.

One of my favorite experiences came the following morning when I had the opportunity to serve as the greeter at the front door. Because I understood the mission and how the Pay-What-You-Can model worked, I was able to welcome guests, answer questions, and help people feel comfortable from the moment they arrived.

That experience taught me something I hope never to forget.

Hospitality begins long before the food reaches the table.

It begins with the first smile.

The first greeting.

The first conversation.

The first opportunity to let someone know, “You belong here.”

I also have one of my favorite pictures from the trip—Jake washing dishes and wiping down counters with a smile on his face.

It reminds me that no job is too small when everyone is working toward the same mission.

Every role matters.

Every volunteer contributes to the experience.

Every act of service helps someone feel welcome.

The Haven

Learning from the People

My experience at The Haven shifted my perspective once again.

This time, I wasn’t thinking as much about restaurant operations.

I was thinking about people.

I joined the kitchen team preparing breakfast, cutting turkey sausage, helping with food preparation, and serving meals alongside the staff.

But what captured my attention wasn’t just the kitchen.

It was the guests.

These are the people I hope will one day walk through the doors of The Francis Kitchen.

I don’t want to make assumptions about what they need.

I want to ask them.

I want to hear their stories.

I want to know what makes them feel welcomed.

What foods bring them comfort.

What kind of restaurant they would actually enjoy visiting.

What would make them return—not because they need a meal, but because they feel like they belong.

That realization changed everything for me.

Before designing menus…

Before writing policies…

Before deciding what The Francis Kitchen should become…

I need to listen.

The Haven is only a few minutes from the middle school where I teach, so I plan to continue volunteering regularly at breakfast.

Every visit will be another opportunity to build relationships, learn, and grow.

One unexpected blessing came when The Francis Kitchen was invited to sponsor lunch at The Haven on August 28.

For an organization still in its earliest days, that invitation felt incredibly meaningful.

It wasn’t simply an invitation to provide a meal.

It was an invitation to become part of a community already committed to serving with compassion and dignity.

The Greatest Lesson

When I began this journey, I thought I was searching for the perfect model.

I now realize I was searching for the wrong thing.

JBJ Soul Kitchen, A Place at the Table, and The Haven each faithfully serve the communities they were called to serve.

None of them should be copied.

Each should be admired.

Each should be learned from.

Each has something unique to teach.

The Francis Kitchen should not become another JBJ Soul Kitchen.

It should not become another A Place at the Table.

It should not become another The Haven.

It should become what Charlottesville needs it to become.

And the only way to discover that is by listening.

Listening to those who have already walked this road.

Listening to volunteers.

Listening to community partners.

Listening to supporters.

Most importantly, listening to the people who will one day gather around our tables.

The greatest lesson I learned during these visits had very little to do with payment models, menus, volunteer schedules, or kitchen operations (although, I did learn about these things!). 

It had everything to do with people.

Food brings us together.

Hospitality invites us to stay.

Relationships change lives.

That is the vision I carry home.

As The Francis Kitchen continues to grow, I hope we will always remember that our success will never be measured simply by the number of meals we serve.

It will be measured by whether every person who walks through our doors leaves knowing they were seen, welcomed, valued, and loved.

Because in the end, that is the table I hope we build.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A PLACE AT THE TABLE – APRIL.2026

An Amazing Visit to A PLACE AT THE TABLE in Raleigh, NC!

Lisa and Jake were able to meet Maggie, the founder of A Place At The Table. They enjoyed a wonderful meal, service, and continued inspiration; as well as guidance to keep-on-going! Plans are in the works for another visit soon to learn more about how “The Table” operates day to day. Thank you, Maggie and everyone that made it such a beautiful and memorable visit!