Rob Rainer, ED of the Table CFC
What’s good? The Table Community Food Centre in Perth is showing how food can be the first step toward much wider support.
Many people first walk through the doors looking for emergency food help or a community meal. But Executive Director Rob Rainer says staff also work to connect residents with services that can make everyday life more stable.
Rainer says The Table’s advocacy program offers a range of supports beyond food. Staff help people understand what other services are available and guide them toward the right place to start.
That can include help with income tax returns, which Rainer says is important because many financial benefits are only available to people who file.
The support can also include help getting important documents, such as birth certificates, or finding housing-related resources in the community.
Rainer says that kind of support matters because some people may be new to the community, or may not know where else to turn.
For The Table, the work is about meeting people where they are.
Food may bring someone through the door, but the support does not stop there. The goal is to help residents feel welcome, connected and better able to access the help available around them.
More information is available at thetablecfc.org.
