Mountain Home is excited to launch an intensive team-based mentoring program called Open Table this fall. Open Table is a proven model that is currently being implemented in 28 states, with Montana being the 29th as Mountain Home joins the movement. Although Open Table originated in the faith community, tables have been launched by many secular organizations including government agencies, non-profits, healthcare providers, and private businesses.
The model is focused on helping individuals experiencing generational poverty and social isolation connect with community resources and develop a network of organic social support. The Open Table approach involves gathering a team of support around an individual in need. Each individual served has a “table” of 6-8 volunteers who commit to meeting with them weekly as a group over the course of one year. Based on both our clients’ need for more natural social support, as well as volunteers’ interest in more meaningful ways to serve, Mountain Home is becoming an official Open Table site, so we can access their intensive training resources and ongoing support. We will be accepting our first round of volunteer applications in early November 2019 and starting our first training series in early January 2020, with the goal of starting 3-4 tables within this next year.
Volunteers do not have to be experts but do need to be able to make the significant time commitment to build relationship, be willing to follow the mom’s lead, and take part in extensive 8-week training around offering trauma-informed support. If you personally are interested in learning more about this powerful model, please contact Stacy, Mountain Home’s Program Manager at stacy@mountainhomemt.org to set up a one-on-one conversation. If your community organization (from book clubs to businesses to churches) would like a short presentation on Mountain Home and Open Table including information on how to get involved in this impactful project, please contact Alysha at alysha@mountainhomemt.org or 406-360-4317
For an example of what Open Table support can mean to a young person, watch this short video about one Texas mom’s Open Table experience and the difference it made in her life.