Our Background

On December 9, 2024, Extra Table celebrates the fifteenth anniversary of our first food delivery. Since that day, we’ve been a part so many wonderful stories. For our anniversary, we want to share them, because every plate tells a story – here’s ours:

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In 2009, restaurateur Robert St. John received a call from the Edwards Street Fellowship Center in Hattiesburg, Miss. Simply put, they had run out of food. As a restaurant industry veteran, he figured the fastest and easiest way to get food to the pantry would be to call his food sales representative, place an order, and have the truck drop ship the order to the agency’s doorstep the next day. In the following months, he realized many organizations throughout the state had similar needs. He then posed a question to his food supplier, “What if everyone had an ‘extra table’ to feed those in need? What would that look like?” Everyone loved the idea, and Extra Table was born.

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While Extra Table FIGHTS HUNGER DIFFERENTLY today, we continue to meet growing demands for food while remaining mission-focused. We know we can’t solve hunger in Mississippi – but with so many amazing donors and friends, we can purchase healthy, shelf-stable food below wholesale cost and provide it to our food pantry partners EVERY MONTH AT NO COST TO THEM.

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Over the next year, we plan to look back at our history, celebrate milestones, and share the stories of our Extra Table family.

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