This “3 Questions With” comes from a sponsored interview in partnership with Tecovas.
Napier Kitchen Table believes “love transforms around the table.” It’s a part of Midtown Fellowship, centering community work, fellowship, and providing affordable produce to the community. We spoke with Executive Director Nicole Valentine about her work there and how it helps Nashville.
This interview was edited for length and clarity.
What is Napier Kitchen Table?
“Napier Kitchen Table is a church and nonprofit founded by a former teacher who felt called to create community in Napier. It started about eight years ago, and it’s currently located in the Tennessee Justice Center. I've been working for Napier Kitchen Table for almost three years. I'm a former educator myself, so what drew me to the Napier community was my students. The needs, plural, in Napier are so vast, and my role in community engagement with the school district at the time meant I was often delivering food and checking on families in Napier. I just really felt a call to the community.”
What does an average day in your life look like?
“Depends on the day of the week! Yesterday, I was helping a mom in a tough situation get a hotel stay because that's what she needed to feel safe. Then I went to the hospital because a teen mom had her baby: Such a sweet baby! I'm actually going to go pick her up today because she's being discharged.
“Most of our work in Napier Kitchen Table is relational. We focus on genuine relationships, and helping people give community a second chance. Many of our families have had adverse childhood experiences. They don't have a strong support system with family or friends. And so this idea of trusting people is very difficult for many families. My goal is to help them realize that community is important.”
How does taking care of your one specific community help make Nashville better?
“I love the adage ‘It takes a village.’ I feel like my work is only part of the puzzle. We need everyone. It takes everyone. We need more people asking questions, we need people going to the Hill, people who help others make connections, to empower those who are on the front lines trying to make change in the neighborhood. We need everyone.”
