Announcing Open Table; A model Of community transformation In Maine

Author

Erica Buswell
Knox County Community Justice Coordinator

Restorative Justice Project Maine is excited to be bringing the Open Table model of community transformation to Maine as part of an effort to build out re-entry supports for people returning to community life in Knox and Waldo counties after a period of incarceration.  We had over 30 attendees at our first Open Table informational session on January 21, hosted in partnership with Open Tables Director of Community Engagement, Rachelle Butler. 

The Open Table Movement was born from one church’s chance encounter with a homeless man in 2005. Today it is a nationally trained model equipping faith and other organizations to transform communities through sustainable, long-term relationships with people experiencing economic and/or relational poverty. The Open Table model gives community members a way to invest their own social and relational capital in the lives of others to help them achieve the better lives they envision for themselves.

A "Table" is 6-8 volunteers working alongside an individual or family in need for approximately one year. Together with the "Friend," they implement the Friend's Life Plan, and together all live into their human potential. If you are looking for an opportunity to draw on the power of your social network and community relationships to support and transform the lives of those in our community who have been incarcerated, please reach out to Erica Buswell, Knox County Community Justice Coordinator, at erica@rjpmidcoast.org and we will contact you with an invitation to attend a future info session. 
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Screenshot of Open Table participants! Pictured above are RJP Maine staff, volunteers and community org. partners.