Transforming Communities, One Meal at a Time: The Story of Transformation Table

At United Charitable, we’re honored to support programs that create lasting change through connection and empathy. One such extraordinary program is Transformation Table, a fiscally sponsored initiative with roots as unique as its mission.

Transformation Table began with a garden behind the high walls and razor wire of a compound in Kabul, Afghanistan, where founder Tina L. Singleton worked as a disability rights and inclusion technical advisor. From the garden’s bounty, Tina cooked meals that brought Afghans and foreign nationals together. Around those tables, the simple act of sharing food broke down cultural and social barriers, fostering deep connections.

The idea’s heart lies in honoring people like Kamal Hamade, a Lebanese restaurant owner in Kabul who owned the popular Taverna du Liban restaurant. Kamal epitomized the power of food to unite. At the end of every meal,  Kamal offered a free slice of chocolate cake with every meal as a “slice of love.” Whether a foreign diplomat or local Afghan couple, Kamal treated every guest the same – with love and respect. His tragic death in a 2014 terrorist attack inspired Tina to keep his legacy alive by using food as a force against hate.

In 2016, Tina moved to Charleston, SC, a year after the devastating mass shooting at Mother Emanuel AME Church on June 17, 2015. At a Tree Dedication Ceremony commemorating the tragedy, Dr. Bernice A. King, daughter of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., issued the Charleston community a powerful challenge: to find ways to love and understand each other despite our differences. To get intimate. Go to each other’s homes. Have dinner!” she admonished the gathered crowd.

Inspired, Tina launched the first Transformation Table dinner in November 2016, hosted at the home of Ashley and Kendrick Vaughns. A Vietnamese meal prepared by Chef Janice Nguyen Hudgins became the centerpiece of a transformative evening. Eight strangers gathered, shared stories, and left as friends.

Since then, Transformation Table has brought over 1,000 community members together through 10-person home-based dinners and larger public space dinners in the Lowcountry. Featuring the cuisines and food stories of global chefs from 26 countries – including Afghanistan, Iraq, Ghana, and the Philippines – each gathering honors the uniqueness of each guest, allowing space for guests to connect to their common humanity.

Every Transformation Table dinner honors Kamal Hamade’s memory and Dr. King’s call to action. Through its work, this incredible program reminds us that food is more than sustenance; it’s a language of love, a tool for connection, and a catalyst for change.

To learn more or join this transformative movement, visit transformationtable.org. Together, we can break bread, break barriers, and build bridges!