At the Welcome Table, we believe everyone should have access to the resources they need to have a high-quality life. We work to make it easier for our students, their families and our larger community to have access to the things they need to thrive.
Vision Statement
We envision a time when all Allegheny West community members and our neighbors across North Philadelphia are thriving in their daily lives.
Mission Statement
We design community actions and create spaces for members of our school and broader community to access essential needs and experience a community of sharing.
Our Values
As a team, we maintain a commitment to upholding values that are to the benefit of our community and consistent with our larger institution. These values include:
Total Care: At the heart of our work is a commitment to total care, a term used by St. James co-founder Audrey Evans. We care about building up the many gifts of our neighbors and coming alongside them to use those gifts to meet the needs of our community.
Community Involvement/Ownership: We refer to our offerings as community actions. Community Actions recognize that every individual involved in the activity is an active and integral part. There is no consumer or client relationship, but rather a neighborly one in which every gift is celebrated and lifted up.
Quality Service: We are committed to providing high quality experiences for all those who participate in our community actions. Whether you are coming to receive food at our weekly market, participating in one of our adult education classes, or attending a community event, we work hard to ensure that you walk away from any experience at the Welcome Table with an indelible imprint of the care and compassion we have for everyone in our community.
Reflection and Response: We strive to be active listeners within our community as we grow. Building community is beautiful but challenging work that happens when all who participate in its formation are open to learning and adjusting to better serve the needs of the whole. We foster an environment where reflection and growth are is encouraged and built into all aspects of what we do.
Community Actions
Food Sharing
We host a “farmers market styled” free food distribution event open to the whole community on Saturday mornings (year-round). All are welcome!
We also make healthy produce and other staple foods accessible to our students and families as needed.
Adult Education
We offer a wide variety of classes/workshops for adults ranging from digital literacy and personal finance to enrichment classes like cooking, yoga and Zumba.
Additionally, we provide one-on-one life coaching to support individuals looking for support with goal setting and planning towards academic and/or professional goals.
Legal Aid
We provide access to free legal assistance with civil matters (i.e. employment, housing, benefits and estate planning) through our partnership with the Episcopal Legal Aid
Home Repairs
We help community members with minor home repair issues by pairing them with trained volunteers equipped to address the issues in a timely manner.
Interested in getting access to home repair support? Please complete our information form below, with more information about the issue you are dealing with and a member of our team will be in touch with you as soon as possible.
Community Lending
We provide access to low/no interest microloans to address basic needs or support academic or professional development.
Interested in learning more about how to access a community loan? Please complete our information form below with more information about the reason for the request and a member of the team will be in touch with you as soon as possible.
The Welcome Table works in close partnership with the St. James chaplaincy. For any individuals interested in learning about church life at St. James as well as those who may be looking for pastoral counsel, we encourage you to learn more about the chaplaincy here.
The Welcome Table is Open!
To contact The Welcome Table please call 484-224-7669 or fill out the form below.