A Place at the Table gifted $10,000 donation on 'The Kelly Clarkson Show'
A Raleigh business received a $10,000 donation Thursday on a special segment of "The Kelly Clarkson Show."
A Place at the Table founder and executive director Maggie Kane appeared on the show at 2 p.m. along with several participants from the pay-what-you-can cafe, where they talked with Clarkson about the impact that cafe has had on their lives.
The appearance is part of the show's "Good Neighbor of the Year" segment, which highlights people from across the country who are stepping up in big ways for their local communities and neighbors.
Thursday's segment, which was recorded in December, featured Mix 101.5 FM morning host Kyle Smelser in studio with Clarkson.
A Place at the Table opened at 300 W Hargett St. in downtown Raleigh in January 2018. Before securing a permanent home, the restaurant held pop-up meals at various local restaurants. The project was in development for three years.
"We had to create a place where everyone has choice and everyone feels seen," Kane told Clarkson during her appearance on the show.
The cafe has a laid-back coffee shop atmosphere with a menu that includes buttermilk biscuits with sage sausage gravy and an assortment of sandwiches and waffles. All food and beverages are pay-what-you-can.
The pay-what-you-can model allows people to pay in a variety of ways:
- Pay the suggested price
- Pay at least $3 for your meal
- Pay using a PLACE Card
- Pay by volunteering at least an hour
The nonprofit's pay-what-you-can approach for food and drink is based on a model by the One World Every Body Eats Foundation. There are more than 60 cafes operating with this approach.
A Place at the Table has been featured on NBC’s Today Show and Kane has been honored with various awards including the WRAL Voters' Choice Award for Woman of the Year in 2020.
