Supper Table is a community-based organization in Ottawa working to reduce food insecurity through shared meals and direct outreach. Whether you want to volunteer, make a donation, ask about our programs, or partner with us, this page covers every way to get in touch. We respond to all inquiries within 1–2 business days.
Why People Contact Us
People reach out to Supper Table for different reasons. Understanding which category fits your situation helps us direct your message to the right person faster.
| Reason for Contact | Who Handles It | Expected Response Time |
|---|---|---|
| Volunteering inquiry | Volunteer Coordinator | 1–2 business days |
| Donation or sponsorship | Development Team | 1–2 business days |
| Food support request | Outreach Team | Same day when possible |
| Partnership or collaboration | Programs Director | 2–3 business days |
| Media or press inquiry | Communications | 2 business days |
| General question | General Inbox | 1–2 business days |
If you need food support urgently, please say so in your message subject line. We prioritize those requests.
How to Reach Supper Table
We currently operate primarily through email and an online contact form. In-person visits to our kitchen location are by appointment only. Walk-ins are not accepted during meal preparation hours to protect our volunteer team and the people we serve.
Email by department:
- General inquiries: info@suppertable.ca
- Volunteer applications: volunteer@suppertable.ca
- Donations and partnerships: giving@suppertable.ca
- Food access support: outreach@suppertable.ca
Mailing address: Supper Table Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
If you are reaching out on behalf of a school group, faith community, or corporate team looking to volunteer together, email the volunteer coordinator directly and include your preferred dates and group size. Groups of 4 or more need at least two weeks notice.
Volunteering With Supper Table
Volunteering is one of the most direct ways to support the work. Supper Table runs regular community meal events and relies on volunteers for everything from food prep to service to cleanup.
Current volunteer roles:
- Meal preparation (kitchen-based, physical work)
- Front-of-house serving during meal events
- Food rescue and transportation
- Administrative and communications support
- Event setup and teardown
To apply, send your name, availability, any food handling certifications, and a brief note on why you want to volunteer. No formal experience is required for most roles, but a valid food handler certificate is an asset for kitchen positions. If you do not have one, we can direct you to where to get it in Ottawa — the cost is typically under $30 and the course takes about two hours online.
Volunteers under 18 are welcome with parental consent and must be accompanied by an adult for kitchen roles.
Commitment expectations:
- Minimum recommended: one shift per month
- Each shift runs approximately 3–4 hours
- Orientation is required before your first shift (roughly 45 minutes, done in person or by video call)
Donating to Supper Table
Financial donations go directly toward food purchasing, kitchen supplies, and operational costs for community meals. Supper Table accepts both one-time and recurring donations.
What your donation covers:
| Donation Amount (CAD) | What It Funds |
|---|---|
| $15 | Ingredients for one full meal serving |
| $50 | Groceries for a small group meal (8–10 people) |
| $100 | One community dinner for up to 20 guests |
| $250 | A week of meal supplies for outreach events |
| $500+ | Supports a monthly meal program for a specific community |
In-kind donations — such as non-perishable food items, kitchen equipment, or cleaning supplies — are also accepted. Contact the outreach team before dropping anything off. We cannot accept perishable donations without prior coordination.
Supper Table is a registered charity in Canada. All eligible donations receive an official tax receipt. Receipts are issued electronically within 5 business days of the donation being processed.
If you want to set up a recurring monthly donation, mention it in your email and the development team will walk you through the setup process.
Corporate and Community Partnerships
Organizations looking to partner with Supper Table have several options. These range from employee volunteer days to event co-sponsorship to multi-year community investment partnerships.
Partnership models:
- One-time volunteer event: Bring your team to a meal event. Suitable for groups of 4–20. Includes a brief on Supper Table's work and impact.
- Meal sponsorship: Fund a specific community dinner in your organization's name. Includes a letter of acknowledgment and impact update.
- Program sponsorship: Support a recurring program (e.g., monthly meal for a specific neighborhood or demographic) over 6 or 12 months.
- Skills-based volunteering: Offer professional services such as web development, accounting, legal advice, or communications on a pro bono basis.
Ottawa-area organizations interested in any of these options should email the Programs Director with the subject line "Partnership Inquiry" and a short description of the type of engagement they have in mind.
Accessing Food Support Through Supper Table
If you or someone you know needs food support, we want to make it easy to ask. There is no intake form, no proof of income required, and no appointment necessary to attend a community meal. Supper Table operates on a dignity-first model — meals are shared, not distributed as charity in a transactional sense.
Details on upcoming meal events are shared through our mailing list and on our social media channels. To get added to the mailing list, email outreach@suppertable.ca with "Meal Updates" in the subject line.
If you work with a social worker, community navigator, or are connected to another Ottawa-area organization such as Ottawa Public Health or a neighborhood resource center, those partners can also coordinate referrals directly with our outreach team.
For immediate food emergencies, the Ottawa Food Bank operates a helpline and network of over 100 partner agencies across the city. Their services are separate from ours but complementary — many people we serve access multiple resources depending on their situation.
Media, Research, and Speaking Requests
Journalists, researchers, and public speakers occasionally reach out to Supper Table to learn more about food insecurity in Ottawa, our operational model, or the communities we work with.
We welcome responsible media coverage that does not exploit or identify the people we serve without explicit consent. All media requests should be sent to the communications contact with details on:
- The outlet or institution
- The topic of the story or research
- The proposed timeline
- Whether you are requesting interviews, data, photography access, or site visits
Requests that involve photographing or interviewing meal guests require separate consent protocols and must be arranged well in advance.
Academic researchers should note that Supper Table does not collect formal demographic data on guests. Any research involving our community requires ethical review approval from the researcher's institution before we can formally participate.
What Happens After You Contact Us
Here is the exact process once you submit an inquiry:
- Your message lands in the appropriate inbox based on the subject or email address used.
- A team member reviews it within 1–2 business days (same-day for urgent food support requests).
- You receive a reply confirming we received your message and, where applicable, next steps.
- For volunteering, next steps include sending an orientation link or scheduling a call.
- For donations, next steps include a payment confirmation and receipt timeline.
- For partnerships, next steps include a short introductory meeting, typically 30 minutes by video call.
If you do not receive a reply within 3 business days, check your spam folder and resend if necessary.