It’s been just over a year since we first set up a table.
Back then, it was simple. A few people, a folding table, hotdogs, and a willingness to show up without really knowing what would come of it. No structure. No long-term plan. Just a response to a call.
Since then, a lot has changed.
Not in a dramatic way — but in a steady, consistent one. Faces have become familiar. Conversations have deepened. The rhythm of the tables has taken hold. What once felt uncertain now feels rooted.
And along the way, the Lord has provided in ways we couldn’t have planned.
We’ve been incredibly blessed to partner with Open Arms Mission, who have stepped in to help with food, and City Serve, who have supported us with supplies. Because of them, what once felt like a stretch each week has become something more stable. Food is there. Supplies are there. The basics are covered.
That matters more than we can put into words.
It’s also what has made us even consider what comes next.
The Ask That Wasn’t Ours
Recently, we were invited to be part of the meal calendar coordinated by Start Me Up Niagara. It’s a simple but important tool — making sure there is coverage throughout the week so people know where they can go for a meal.
As part of that, a question came up:
Would we be willing to take on Saturday nights?
Saturday is one of the only nights in St. Catharines with little to no consistent food service, outside of the Salvation Army truck.
It’s not hard to understand why.
Saturday night is when most people step away. It’s family time. It’s rest. It’s the one evening people try to keep for themselves.
And yet, the need doesn’t take that night off.
Where We Are Today
Right now, we have:
- A Wednesday night in Welland, now led by an incredible group that has taken ownership of it (we support them, but they’ve made it their own)
- A Thursday night in St. Catharines
- And now, the possibility of Saturday night at Start Me Up Niagara (7:00–8:30 PM)
The reality is simple:
We can’t be in three places at once.
And we don’t believe we’re supposed to be.
What’s Needed
This isn’t about adding more to our plate.
It’s about seeing if others are willing to step in.
We have the food.
We have the supplies.
We have a structure that works.
What’s needed is people.
People willing to give up a Saturday evening, stand in a parking lot, and serve. To be present. To be consistent. To do something simple that matters more than it looks.
We’ve seen this happen before. Welland is proof of that. A group of people stepped forward, and now that night runs because they made it their own.
We believe the same can happen again.
The Practical Side
As things grow, there are also practical realities that come with it.
Moving food, supplies, and people between locations — sometimes in the cold, sometimes across cities — is becoming a bit more involved than when we first started. What used to fit easily into a couple of cars is starting to stretch in ways that are manageable, but not always simple.
We’re not entirely sure what the right solution looks like yet.
But we trust that, just like everything else so far, it will come together in the right way, at the right time.
A Simple Invitation
If you’ve been following along, volunteering occasionally, or quietly wondering where you might fit in — this might be it.
Saturday nights
7:00–8:30 PM
St. Catharines (Start Me Up Niagara)
No pressure. No expectation beyond showing up.
And if Saturday isn’t your night, we simply ask:
Please pray.
Pray for:
- people willing to step into that gap
- continued provision for what’s needed
- and that we would remain faithful in what we’ve been called to do
It’s been just over a year.
We’re still showing up.
Still learning.
Still trusting.
And we have a sense this next step isn’t about doing more…
It’s about others stepping in. If you feel the call, please email us @ volunteers@neighborstable.ca
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