Support local restaurants by serving hope to their workers.
Big Table has cared for Spokane restaurant workers in crisis since 2009.
LOOK BEYOND THE MENU
As you support our local restaurants during Inlander Restaurant Week, take a moment to look beyond the menu and notice the dedicated workers who make each meal and dining experience deliciously memorable.
Many of these workers are navigating unseen crises — homelessness, a devastating medical diagnosis, debilitating dental pain, transportation breakdowns, or overwhelming depression. These realities often remain hidden in plain sight, because a warm smile is part of the uniform.
This is why Big Table exists.
Make a Donation to Big Table
All Inlander Restaurant Week 2026 donations to Big Table
(up to $10,000) will be generously matched by STCU.
HIDDEN BEHIND THE SMILES
Behind the smiles of those working in restaurants and hotels is the highest concentration of need in our nation. And yes — that includes Spokane.
Supporting local this Restaurant Week means more than enjoying a great meal. It means choosing to see what’s happening behind the scenes and responding with care. When we support workers in crisis, we help stabilize the very restaurants and hotels our community depends on.
Make a Donation to Big Table
All Inlander Restaurant Week 2026 donations to Big Table
(up to $10,000) will be generously matched by STCU.
ASHLEE'S STORY OF HOPE
“Big Table means the world to me. They really do serve hope. It’s smiles. It’s friendship. It’s community. It’s family. It’s joy. You can’t explain it. You just have to experience it.”
Ashlee, Care Recipient
HIGHEST CONCENTRATION OF NEED
Restaurant and hospitality workers make up one of the largest industries in our nation — and they are often the most vulnerable among us: single parents, at-risk teens, immigrants, income-insecure seniors, and those rebuilding their lives after incarceration.
Nearly all of the top ten lowest-paid jobs are in this industry. Nearly half of restaurant workers live just above the official poverty line. With that reality comes elevated rates of addiction, chronic stress, mental health struggles, and fractured relationships.
After a care referral, Big Table moves quickly, intentionally, and relationally when a worker is in crisis.
“What we really do is serve hope,” says Kevin Finch, founder and executive director of Big Table. “We respond with triage care in moments of crisis, then walk alongside people with ongoing relational support and mentoring.”
Make a Donation to Big Table
All Inlander Restaurant Week 2026 donations to Big Table
(up to $10,000) will be generously matched by STCU.
ISSAC'S STORY OF HOPE
“Without you guys, I would still be in constant pain and consumed by the stress & worry of never knowing how I would be able to fix any of it.”
Isaac, Care Recipient
READ ISAAC’S STORY
WHAT HOPE LOOKS LIKE
Hope often looks simple — but it’s strategic.
Groceries to keep a family fed. Support to see a therapist. Help with medical bills. A bus pass. A car repair that keeps someone employed. Today, over 50% of care referrals involve workers on the brink of eviction — or already experiencing homelessness — while still showing up to one or two jobs every day.
Big Table’s care model is built to meet people exactly where they are, before everything falls apart. Learn more about our unique approach HERE.
JOIN THE MOVEMENT
“Enjoying an incredible meal during Restaurant Week is a great way to support our local restaurant community,” Finch says. “But looking beyond the menu — showing kindness, generosity, and gratitude — even a smile and a sincere thank you — can be powerful.”
Explore creative ways to care while eating and sleeping on Big Table’s website. You can also donate directly to Big Table and help deliver critical care to restaurant and hospitality workers in crisis.
Learn more at www.bigtable.org.
Make a Donation to Big Table
All Inlander Restaurant Week 2026 donations to Big Table
(up to $10,000) will be generously matched by STCU.