Rich Havard, Executive Director of the Inclusive Collective, discusses how his mom’s southern cooking influenced his love of food and caused him to create environments for people to eat. In his work hosting beautiful dinners every Sunday night for people experiencing homelessness, he shares the importance of connecting and having fun around the table as you eat with people of different ages, ethnicities and socio-economic status.

In this first episode, Chi Chi Okwu joins the show to discuss how Nigerian culture and her childhood growing up in Alabama influenced her love of food and desire to intentionally gather people and feed them great meals. We talk about creating opportunities for people to know they belong, and starting with what you have—whether a couch, table, or kitchen island. Chi Chi reminds us that life is too short not to eat great food with great people.

Amy Dolan shares how she went from a lonely non-cook to a pastor of a dinner church and host of regular dinner parties. Inspired by Rachael Ray, Amy learned to cook by practicing on her friends and family, and inviting people over as often as possible. Amy now hosts and cooks for people as an expression of love, and as a connection to her faith. Join Amy each week as she sits down with guests who are feeding people, and be inspired to invite someone to the table for conversation and good soul connection.