5: Persistence + Storytelling + A Place at the Table | Maggie Kane

I think it’s safe to say that we are major fangirls of today’s Arc Bender & guest. This week we interview Maggie Kane, the Founder & Executive Director of A Place at the Table in Raleigh, NC, a non-profit social enterprise that provides community and healthy food for all regardless of means. The way A Place at the Table works is customers have multiple options to pay for their meal and to pay-it-forward. They can pay the suggested price, pay at least half of the suggested price, or pay by volunteering with them. To pay-it-forward, they can tip to help fulfill their mission or buy a $10 token to hand out themselves in the community. Not only is the mission inspiring, but their food is delicious!

There are so many topics we cover in this episode… from how do we measure impact to the power of persistence to the importance of asking for help.

“What got me started, if it was one piece of advice, my old mentor said to me, and this is prior to A Place at the Table, ‘Maggie, your greatest passion meets halfway with the world’s greatest need.’… to me, it really stuck with me and that’s why A Place at the Table is here. My greatest passion is loving people. My greatest passion is making people feel included and welcomed and loved and cared for. That means people with means and without means. I think Raleigh’s greatest need was a place like this. A place that really brought the ‘haves’ and the ‘have-nots’ together.”
– Maggie Kane, Founder & Executive Director, A Place at the Table

Here are a few of the key takeaways:
• We discuss how Maggie’s story is a perfect example of how there are different ways to measure impact. While creating systemic change is something important to pursue, starting with your neighborhood and changing 1 life at a time is still game-changing.
• If you want to change the world, you don’t have to do it alone. It truly takes a community to drive positive change.
• Persistence is key! It took Maggie nearly 3 years to open A Place at the Table.
• Storytelling is powerful. Sharing stories of how you have impacted even one life can make all the difference.

Learn more about Maggie Kane & A Place at the Table:
• Check out A Place at the Table’s website
• Follow them on Twitter and Instagram @tableraleigh
• Watch Maggie & A Place at the Table featured on the Today Show

Other links mentioned in the show:
• To find your local pay-what-you-can cafe, check out One World Everybody Eats
• Read Winners Take All: The Elite Charade of Changing the World by Anand Giridharadas and let us know what you think!

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Closed Captioning for this episode is available on YouTube.
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Music Credit: Ryan Levin