An Open Table in Ohio

What is Open Table?

Origin Story

Participant Story

Relationship Story

Relationship and social capital:

the core of human development,
the core of Open Table.

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People, neighborhoods and communities with complex needs

– including poverty, isolation, mental health, and chronic illness, need access to a broader array of relational and social capital to develop their potential.

How much relational and social capital do 20 people have?

At Open Table we develop and train models that allow communities to organize and invest their relational and social capital. These community assets are renewable, sustainable, and transformational.

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Models

Open Table is a 501 (c)(3) non-profit training organization. Open Table develops models that train people from an array of community sectors — including business, education, faith communities, healthcare and others — to organize and co-invest their abundant and sustainable relational and social capital in individuals with complex needs and solutions to daunting social challenges.

The Core Table™ Model

A group of volunteers developing long-term, reciprocal relationships with an individual or family. Core Tables meet weekly to share friendship and access social networks to support implementation of the Friend’s Life Plan.

Core Table Model Web

The Network Table™ Model

A group of volunteers creating access to community relational and social capital to empower people with complex needs to achieve one priority goal they could not realize on their own. Each Network Table serves 25-50 individuals or families in a year.

Network Table Model Web

The Community Convening™ Model

Creating a Long-Term Relational and Social Capital Bridge Between the Business Community and a Social Entrepreneur or Community Organization

Community Convening Model Web

How Community Sectors are Using Open Table

Initiative Wide Healthcare

Healthcare

A shared purpose between healthcare organizations and the community through social drivers of health.

Read Our Healthcare Report

Early Childhood Education

Early Childhood Education

A shared purpose between early childhood education agencies and the community to increase quality.

Read About Our Work to Increase Preschool Quality

Initiative Wide Business

Business

A shared purpose between businesses and the community to transform daunting social challenges.

Read About our Business Partnerships to Transform Communities

Initiative Wide Community

Faith Communities and Community Organizations

A shared purpose between faith communities, civic organizations, and community agencies empowering people with complex needs to live the better lives they envision for themselves.

Read About the Core Table model and the Network Table model

Initiative Wide Govt

Government

Federal, state and county agencies and grantees are implementing Open Table and Community Convening to support individuals and families through the sustainable relational and social capital in their communities.

Genesis Labs

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Social Enterprise

Empowering social entrepreneurs to transform their big idea for social change into sustainable models.

Read About Our Work with Social Entrepreneurs Transforming Juvenile Justice

Research

The Open Table evidence base is conclusive about the positive effects of social and relational capital applied at the individual or family level. Studies show that functioning levels of the individual or family, the Table volunteers, and the community are all transformed by the process.

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of young adults/families remained in relationship with their Table members.

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of the graduates had a better job and/or were in college or technical school after their Table experiences ended.

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of respondents reported that they were optimistic about their future ability to be self-supported.