In the heart of Lynn, Massachusetts, My Brother's Table is a model of philanthropy in action. Founded in 1982, 2500 volunteers a year assist a small staff in serving a hot, nutritious meal 365 days a year. An average of 200 hungry, homeless, or lonely people are our dinner guests each day. This number has remained fairly constant for the past few years although the people who come are needier because of other social programs which have reduced funding as well as a tough job market.

My Brother's Table is privately funded and does not receive nor seek federal, state, or local aid. The Table is not a United Way affiliate. Instead funding comes from thousands of individual donations and a few fundraising events and private grants. The Table relies heavily on donated food from supermarkets, restaurants, food drives, and individuals for most of each meal served.

The Table was created to provide free, nutritious food to the homeless in Lynn, those living in boarding houses, and the large number of mentally ill individuals who were no longer in institutions. No other organizations were serving these groups of people. The philosophy from the beginning has been to welcome all who come with no questions asked. As a result, the Table has always served a wide range of guests—parents and children, individuals with medical or physical disabilities, elderly, people who are unemployed and under employed, in addition to the homeless. Some people come once or twice or for a few days, weeks, or months. Others have come for dinner regularly for many years and have found friends and community at the Table.

My Brother's Table began as a vision shared by a handful of people who were moved by compassion to respond tangibly to the growing needs of the hungry people they saw around them. In 1981, these needs were manifest in the City of Lynn—an old city certainly with its share of poor people. The founders realized that food pantries, senior services, and school-based programs did not meet the needs of everyone in the community. They sought a new way of addressing the nutritional needs of the hungry.

By the fall of 1981, the desperate need of the hungry in Lynn was increasing—alarmingly. One of the Table's founders was a social worker at Catholic Charities, an agency that was distributing food, primarily canned goods, to the poor. Soon, another problem came to light. None of the canned food recipients owned a can opener. Immediately, this previously unrecognized problem was solved by providing the necessary utensil along with the canned foods. Then the social worker witnessed a tragic sight from her office window. She saw the hungry people scurrying out of the building with their cans and heading directly to a nearby cemetery. There, hidden behind the gravestones from the eyes of passers-by, they opened the canned food with their newly acquired can openers, and they devoured the cold contents of the cans.

The founders envisioned a place where these desperately needy people could go inside, out of the weather, sit down at a table, and eat a hot, nourishing meal. They envisioned a place where those in need could feel comfortable—both physically and psychologically—and for a time, at least, regain the dignity that poverty and hunger steal along with material necessities. It would be a place where a kind word could be found along with good food.

In October 1982, My Brother's Table served its first meal. Originally open three days a week the Table served 75-100 people at a time and soon began serving seven days a week, 365 days a year. In November 1992, My Brother's Table moved to its current location at 98 Willow Street. The dining room accommodates over 200 guests a night. In the leanest times, more than 300 have been served in one evening—one account says 600 at one meal. The dining room is spacious and attractive with high ceilings and colorful artwork decorating the walls. There is a full, commercial kitchen with space to store donated food and prepare meals for large groups.

Rooted in the Judeo Christian ethics of love of God and neighbor, My Brother's Table stands ready to feed the hungry and to serve all who come in need regardless of race, color, creed, or sex. Meals will be provided in an atmosphere of welcome, wherein guests are treated with love and dignity. Through the congeniality of table service, staff and volunteers will build a caring relationship with guests. Such a relationship will assist staff and volunteers to serve as referral resources and advocates for the guests. My Brother's Table will serve its guests within the context of their needs.