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The Kitchen Table Announces Changes in Operations


Due to a lack of volunteer help and cash donations, the Kitchen Table has been forced to reduce some aspects of operations as follows:

  • 1.) Delivery only to the ones who are truly housebound.
  • 2.) We will only serve on Thursdays from 4:30 to 6:30 pm. If we get people who are willing to help, we will add days back.
  • 3.) Consider us when making donations, we purchase some of our food, pay our bills and insurance. We do hold public charity status, help us by donating to us too so that we can continue to help others.
  • If you would like to volunteer with us, please email us at volunteer@kitchentablerochelle.org




    Santa Claus is Coming to Town!


    Decenber 2023 - This would be the perfect time to consider being sELFless. If you would like to volunteer with us, please email us at volunteer@kitchentablerochelle.org




    National Giving Tuesday is November 28th!


    November 2023 - The Tuesday after Thanksgiving is always National Giving Tuesday and this is a good time to focus on others. The Kitchen Table at Rochelle always appreciates those who give their time, talents, and treasures to help feed the community. Please consider getting involved in our cause. It is tremendously fulfilling! If you would like to volunteer with us, please email us at volunteer@kitchentablerochelle.org




    The CP Holiday Train is Back in 2023 for its 25th Anniversary!


    November 2023 - The Kitchen Table at Rochelle is not the only organization working hard to make the public aware of food insecurity issues in our community. The Canadian Pacific Railroad runs a Holiday Train on one of their rail lines that runs throught Ogle County in Byron, Illinois. The train offers a live music performance from a box car with a fold-out stage and is decorated for Christmas from tip to tail! Those to attend are asked to make cash donations or bring non-perishable foods. The train will again raise money and awareness for local food banks in communities along the CP rail network. The train is to stop in Byron on November 26 at 11:45 at the Byron High School and put on a live Christmas music performance from Noon until 12:30 when the crew has to pack up and move on down the line. You can learn more about this event in this 2022 recap video posted HERE!




    The Kitchen Table at Rochelle is Voted Best Non-Profit of Ogle County in 2023!


    October 2023 - A survey put on by he Rochelle News Leader and Ogle Couny Life had a record of almost 30,000 votes cast this year. The survey, once again, found the Kitchen Table to be the best non-profit of the county. We appreciate this recognition and hope it brings more people to our door to dine and volunteer! The Kitchen Table at Rochelle is Illinois' first true community cafe.




    The Warrior Brotherhood Veterans Motorcycle Club Donates BIG


    October 2023 - A huge donation was given today by an Illinois chapter of Warrior Brotherhood Veterans Motorcycle Club, the "Mother Road Chapter"! Thank you all so much! We appreciate your help with food. It helps us to help others! You can learn more about this chapter here on their Facebook page.




    The CP Holiday Train is Back in 2022!


    November 2022 - The Kitchen Table at Rochelle is not the only organization working hard to make the public aware of food insecurity issues in our community. The Canadian Pacific Railroad runs a Holiday Train on one of their rail lines that runs throught Ogle County in Byron, Illinois. The train offers a live music performance from a box car with a fold-out stage and is decorated for Christmas from tip to tail! Those to attend are asked to make cash donations or bring non-perishable foods. The train will again raise money and awareness for local food banks in communities along the CP rail network. You can learn more about this event on their website CLICK HERE!




    The Kitchen Table at Rochelle is Voted Best Non-Profit of Ogle County in 2022!


    September 2022 - A survey put on by he Rochelle News Leader and Ogle Couny Life has found the Kitchen Table to be the best non-profit of the county. We appreciate this recognition and hope it brings more people to our door to find out what we are all about!




    The Kitchen Table Announces'Dinner for a Purpose' Event 2022!


    August 22,2022 - September 23rd is the 'Dinner for a Purpose' event co-hosted by The Kitchen Table and Foundation for Focus House. The event will again feature famous chef AMADEUS! He is the winner of the Food Networks Extreme Chef 'Mexican Showdown'segment. His line of seasonings will be used in the dinner and available for purchase thereafter. Rservations to this event are required. Tickets are $50 per person but tables can be purchased for groups. The menu for the evening is posted as Choice of: Ribeye Steak or Salmon Filet which will come with Roasted Veggies, Twice Baked Potato, a Dinner Roll and Dessert.

    You can download the event flyer Here! You can download the sponsorship form Here!

    We will be listing the names of sponsors for this event with the amounts of their donations as they come in.




    The Kitchen Table Announces 'Dinner for a Purpose' Event 2021!


    August 7,2021 - The Kitchen Table has received very generous donations of $250 from Holcomb Bank and $100 from Central Bank to help sponsor the September 24th 'Dinner for a Purpose' event co-hosted by The Kitchen Table and Ogle County Haibitat for Humanity. The event will feature famous chef AMADEUS! He is the winner of the Food Networks Extreme Chef 'Mexican Showdown'segment. His line of seasonings will be used in the dinner and available for purchase thereafter. Rservations to this event are required. Call Vanessa at 815-440-6598. Tickets are $40 per person but tables can be purchased for groups at 6 for $220 or 4 for $140. The menu for the evening is posted as Choice of: Cowboy Pork Chop or Halibu, Salad, Roasted Veggies, Baked Potato andDinner Roll.

    August 21,2021 - The Kitchen Table has received very generous donations of $100 from Stillman Bank and $100 from Rochelle Tobacco N' Liquor to help sponsor the September 24th 'Dinner for a Purpose' event co-hosted by The Kitchen Table and Ogle County Haibitat for Humanity. The event will feature famous chef AMADEUS! He is the winner of the Food Networks Extreme Chef 'Mexican Showdown'segment. His line of seasonings will be used in the dinner and available for purchase thereafter. Reservations to this event are required. See the last press release for more information below!

    August 28,2021 - The Kitchen Table has received very generous donations of $250 from the accounting firm of Newkirk and Associates and $100 from First Bank to help sponsor the September 24th 'Dinner for a Purpose'. We are also very grateful for an in-kind donation of all of the deserts for this event from Loza's Complete Auto Repair. Reservations to this event are required. See the first press release for more information below!

    September 21,2021 - The Kitchen Table has received very generous donation valued at $450 from the Rochelle business TZ Oil Infuzed for Life. They also have a Facebook page as well. You can download the raffle flier Here! We are very grateful for this in-kind donation. As a reminder, reservations to this event are required. See the first press release for more information below!

    For more information, click HERE.




    The Kitchen Table Featured in Communities Digital News!


    July 25, 2021 - The Kitchen Table at Rochelle was featured in a lead article in Communities Digital News, LLC. Communities Digital News offers the best conservative commentary available online. Communities Digital News, LLC, combines the liveliest handpicked writers, journalists and analysts to provide updates on today’s news and trending information. CDN is read throughout the world! To read the article titled, "The Kitchen Table, a Community Cafe that Feeds, Body, Mind and Soul" click HERE.





    "Byron Resident Donates Meals to Ogle County Sheriff's Dept."


    December 2, 2020 - Rural Byron resident Mark Schwendau stopped by The Kitchen Table Inc. this week to donate 100 meals to give thanks to the Ogle County Sheriff's Department - a $500 donation! Schwendau had county sheriffs perform two different wellness checks on him this year due to false alarms. This donation is intended to introduce Ogle County Sheriff's deputies and their families to Illinois' first community cafe, the Kitchen Table at Rochelle. Schwendau said, "We all need to give thanks to our local law enforcement in these uncertain times!"





    "Holcomb Bank Makes Donation"


    September 18, 2020 - Holcomb Bank stopped by The Kitchen Table Inc. this week to deliver some good news - a $5,000 donation! Holcomb Bank is proud to support our communities and realize the need is so much greater now. This donation will help Carolyn Brown and her crew continue to help those who need it. Holcomb Bank says, "Thank you for all you do in this community!"





    "Kitchen Table Still Going Strong"


    July 3, 2020 - The Ashton Gazette reported on The Kitchen Table serving others through the COVID pandemic as it celebrated its 7th Anniversary in existance. The Ashton Gazette newspaper reports this mile mark of The Kitchen Table as well as the back story of this very exciting development, HERE.




    Stillman Bank Award


    May 2020 - The Kitchen Table received Stillman Bank’s "Stronger Together" campaign award due to their efforts during the COVID pandemic. You can learn more about this charitable effort of Stillman Bank as well as others who won this award HERE.





    State Farm Insurance Quotes for Good Program


    April 21, 2020 - We're excited to be sponsored by Shane Huber, State Farm, on "Quotes for Good" program. Our goal is to raise $1,000 by teaming up with local State Farm agent Shane Huber. For every household we send their way, who completes a quote from April 21st to May 31st, they will be making donations towards our goal. Give them a call at 815-562-7011, and don't forget to mention Quotes for Good to help us reach our goal. Due to COVID-19 all requests for quotes must be called in as the office is currently closed. Please refer friends and family to help support the Kithcen Table!

    State Farm Insurance was part of our Friday Food giveaway on Friday May 15th. 2020!

    * Cannot be a current State Farm customer.






    Rochelle 'Pay What You Can' Restaurant Named 'Cafe of the Year'


    January 31, 2020 - The Kitchen Table again made the local television News with WTVO Channel 17 and WQRF 39 of Rockford. The story featured the Kitchen Table being named Cafe of the Year by the One World Everybody Eats Organzation. You can view this story onlineHERE.





    First National Bank Hometwon Hero Award


    January 10, 2020 - The Kitchen Table's founder, Carolyn Brown, was award the First National Bank Hometown Hero Award as reported by radio station WDKB. Their story reported can be viewed HERE.



    The Kitchen Table

    Mike and the team are in Rochelle, Illinois to break bread with Carolyn Brown, owner of "The Kitchen Table" a pay-what-you-can restaurant that provides home-cooked meals to folks in her community that have fallen on hard times.

    Posted by Returning The Favor on Monday, July 22, 2019

    "Returning the Favor" Features the Kitchen Table at Rochelle Season 3, Episode 18


    July 22, 2019 at 8:00 p.m. central time was the original air date of Mike Rowe's "Returning the Favor" steaming Internet show available on Facebook. Over 160,000 people viewed the opening airing. Mike awarded $50,000 to The Kitchen Table to expand the building to serve more diners. UPDATE: As of 11-1-2023, this video has had an incredible 1.7 million views!





    "Returning the Favor" Air Date Announced!


    The recorded session on The Kitchen Table of the Mike Rowe 'Returning the Favor' show is set to air on Jully 22nd, of 2019 via Facebook at 8:00 p.m. and the Mike Rowe website of the Internet. The Rochelle News Leader newspaper reports this mile mark of The Kitchen Table as well as the back story of this very exciting development on July 6th, HERE.





    The Kitchen Table is Going Green in 2019!


    At the June 10 of 2019 board meeting the board decided to go green by no longer using styrofoam containers for take out dinners. Patrons will now buy an OZZI three compartment meal box for $5 which they will bring back to the Kitchen Table for continued use. More details will be coming but it is to be noted the cost of these boxes does not reflect any profit for the Kitchen Table. Patrons will pay what the Kitchen Table pays for them. No decision has been made about seperate dessert boxes as of yet.





    The Kitchen Table Wins Another Monsanto Grant!


    On June 4th of 2019 the Kitchen Table was awarded a grant by Bayer-Monsanto to make kitchen improvements to keep pace with the ever increasing demands imposed on the Kitchen Table by the public. The grant will be used to make some upgrades in the kitchen which will include a new stove as the current one runs with hot spots and cold spots and has oven doors that do not shut properly all the time. Our next stove will be a new stove and not a previously owned one.





    Carolyn Brown Wins Citizenship Award!


    On May 13th of 2019 Kitchen Table founder Carolyn Brown (center), received the Remarkable Resident Award of the Rochelle Retail Advisory Board from Samantha Barkus and Mayor John Bearrows. The board wishes to extend their thanks to the Rochelle Retail Advisory Board and extreme pride in this recognition of their leader, Carolyn Brown.





    The Kitchen Table Wins in What's Cookin 2019 Side Dish Category!


    On April 13th of 2019 the Kitchen Table had cooking crew attend the What's Cookin fundraiser for the Rock River Center at Barnicopia in Polo. The Kitchen Table won an award for one of the best side dishes! Photo courtesy of "The Ogle County Life" newspaper. You can read more online HERE.





    The Kitchen Table to be Featured in a Returning the Favor Episode!


    On March 21st of 2019 the Kitchen Table had a New York film crew come visit to shoot a future episode of Mike Rowe's show, "Returning the Favor". Mike donated $50,000 for a new dining hall to be added to the existing Kitchen Table building. Stay tuned for further results! The addition is to begin this spring of 2019! See our Donate page for another picture from this day. See the Mike Rowe Facebook page for "Returning the Favor" to catch past and future episodes online HERE.





    The Kitchen Table makes Northwest Quarerly Magazine!


    On December 20th of 2018 the Kitchen Table was covered in an article in Northwest Quarterly by writer and KT board member Mark Schwendau. You can read this HERE.





    The Kitchen Table treasurer Lois Piller meets WTVO's Emily Waldren.



    On August 31 of 2018 the Kitchen Table was featured as a "Stateline Strong" news strory by Emily Waldren on WTVO. You can see her report HERE.





    The Kitchen Table receives a grant to purchase a new walk-in freezer!


    On June 25 of 2018 the Kitchen Table recieved a grant from the Monsanto Fund for their walk-in freezer. You can read this HERE.





    Carolyn Brown "Inspiring 815"


    On February 8 of 2018 the Kitchen Table's Director, Carolyn Brown, was honored as an "Insipring 815" honoree. You can read this piece on her HERE.





    The Kitchen Table Makes the "Chicago Tribune"!


    On November 23 of 2017 the Kitchen Table was honored to have thier story told by the Chicago Tribue reporter Ted Gregory on Thanksgiving day. You can read his piece he wrote on us HERE.





    The Kitchen Table is Featured on Q98.5 Radio FM!


    On July 6 of 2016 the Kitchen Table was honored to have Rockford's Country Q98.5 reporter Susan Tyler do a story on our opening week. You can read the piece she wrote on us HERE.


    WREX Rockford Reporter Reuben Jones


    The Kitchen Table is Featured on WREX TV!


    On July 6 of 2016 the Kitchen Table was honored to have WREX reporter Rueben Jones come from Rockford to do the first television story on the Kitchen Table. You can go visit their webpage to see the story HERE.



    On October 20 6 of 2015 the Kitchen Table was featured in a story by the Rochelle News Leader annoucning our Open House of the Kitchen Table to show the progress we were making. You can go visit their webpage to see the story HERE.




    The Kitchen Table is Featured on WIFR TV!


    On July 27 of 2014 the Kitchen Table made its first television appearance on WIFR of Rockford came down to Rochelle to film progress on the building and attend our second community FUNdraiser! We regret that online video link has since expired.

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    In the very early days before the cafe was even open (2014 and 2015), we had cafe fundraisers where live music was the main course!