Kelly Clarkson Show gives a big gift to this Raleigh cafe that feeds bellies and souls
The Kelly Clarkson Show named a Raleigh nonprofit its Good Neighbor of the Year Friday, awarding the pay-what-you-can cafe $100,000 in the process.
A Place at the Table, a cafe in downtown Raleigh, was cited for serving healthful food regardless of patrons’ ability to pay. The cafe was a finalist for the award last year and received $10,000 then.
“We’re honored to have won this award and could not have done it without each of you,” Maggie Kane, founder and executive director of A Place at the Table said in a news release.
Clarkson names a dozen Good Neighbor non-profits across the country, all of which were named when the show aired Friday, Dec. 22.
“To the 11 other amazing Good Neighbor organizations, thank you for the work you do,” Kane said. “You deserve this award too and we cannot wait to come visit your incredible nonprofits across the country. Our communities are better because of you!
“To the amazing staff and volunteers, thank you for showing up each day and doing this work. You are the real heroes. To each of you who voted for us and have cheered us on for years, thank you. You make this beautiful work possible.”
Kane hinted that a Place at the Table food truck is in the works and that the prize money from Clarkson’s show could help with that project.
Raleigh’s first pay-as-you-can breakfast-and-lunch cafe opened about six years ago in January 2018.
It’s closed this week for renovations but will reopen Dec. 27. It will be closed again for New Year’s from Dec. 31 to Jan. 2. It’s located at 300 W. Hargett St. and is normally open from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday.
The cafe offers fresh sandwiches and pastries and allows patrons to pay in different ways. Some pay the suggested price; some pay more or less, depending on their resources; some volunteer at the cafe for an hour to compensate for the cost of their meal. A Place at the Table also takes donations online, and sells $10 gift cards to hand out in the community.
This story was originally published December 22, 2023 at 9:53 AM.
