Eighteen years ago, two friends and neighbors—one a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and the other a Methodist—asked a simple question: “What can we do to help our community?” Their answer became the Community Dinner Table (CDT), a weekly dinner program running from the first week of November through the last week of March to feed those in need. With the support of their two congregations, and eventually other faith and civic organizations, the effort grew. Today, 22 groups contribute to this ongoing community tradition. The goal of CDT is to provide meals for individuals and families struggling to put food on the table.
The Tuesday night dinners, held at Jason Lee Memorial Methodist Church in Blackfoot, Idaho, have served over 100,000 meals in the past eighteen years. CDT has found that “need” is not always easy to define—some come for food, others for friendship, and some simply for a sense of belonging. Winter is a challenging season, and the Tuesday dinners meet that need without any federal or state funding.
All food for the dinners is donated by the participating faith groups and businesses; each assigned one Tuesday during the year. Every meal includes corn, donated annually by a local farmer. The community gathers each September for a tradition known as “Day of the Corn.” On that day, volunteers shuck, heat, cool, and cut the corn from the cob, then package it in freezer bags to be used throughout the year.
The dinners are more than meals—they’re community gatherings. Youth groups, families, and local bands provide entertainment, while volunteers decorate the tables to reflect the season, creating a warm and festive atmosphere. A children’s room staffed by caring adult volunteers gives young guests a chance to make a craft to take home.
During the cold Idaho winters, coats, scarves, mittens, gloves, and hats are available for anyone in need. These items come from local donation drives and individuals who drop off contributions at the church.
The spirit of CDT has inspired further service. The local Methodist Church now provides summer lunches for schoolchildren, supported by community food donations. The Blackfoot Food Pantry works alongside CDT, offering food every Wednesday to anyone in need, with no questions asked. The pantry is stocked through local food drives and fresh produce donations from residents’ gardens.
The Community Dinner Table shows how small acts of care, repeated over time, can become a way of life. What began with two neighbors’ simple question has grown into a lasting tradition of compassion—proof that when service becomes part of a community’s rhythm, it can nourish both hearts and homes.
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