On September 4th, 2020 the Table of Plenty was featured in a great article written by Hadley Barndollar and published by Seacoast Online.

KITTERY, Maine — Volunteers on Thursday evening wrapped hamburgers in tinfoil, scooped potato salad into to-go boxes, and filled paper coffee cups with fresh fruit salad.In the basement of St. Raphael’s Catholic Church, a small but mighty team took on the weekly task of feeding approximately 70 individuals who depend on them for a meal each Thursday night.

Only with COVID-19, the free community dinners – normally a place of warmth and connection – are looking a lot different these days.

Table of Plenty, a volunteer-run community kitchen serving free meals in Berwick and Kittery each week, has seen its costs nearly double since the onset of the pandemic. Per person costs have gone from $2 to $4, a result of higher food prices and the now-necessary purchase of takeout containers and plastic silverware.Prior to the pandemic, Table of Plenty had very low operating costs, where 95 cents of every $1 went to putting food on the table.What used to be a rich gathering of fellowship each week – guests seated around nicely-set tables with friends and strangers alike – is now limited to drive-by takeout services in the back parking lot of churches.

“I have people that live in their cars, live on the streets,” said Board Chair Diana Marzinzik.

Table of Plenty had to close its doors completely for six weeks after Gov. Janet Mills issued her statewide stay-at-home order in March. That was six weeks of no Wednesday or Thursday meals for those who depend on Table of Plenty.

The community kitchen prides itself on serving the “lonely or lost, those who feel forgotten or would appreciate the fellowship of others.” Meals are open to all, no questions asked.