Christ’s Table Receives Outstanding Community Partner Award

ZANESVILLE, OH – A local non-profit was recently recognized for their service to our community.

Even with the Government Shutdown hanging over their heads, the crew down at Chris’s Table are still serving over 200 meals a day, a number slightly up from their normal 150-170 meals a day.

Keely Warden, the Executive Director of Christ’s Table, says they’re preparing for the worst but also reminds the community that there are other resources available if you are in need.

“It’s not all about Christ’s Table, there’s 12 food pantries and 3 other hot meal services and we all work together as a Hunger Network.” Warden said. “Actually we’re meeting tomorrow, Friday, to talk about what may be Monday and what may happen and how it’s going to take all of us with a concerted effort working together.”

Dr. Leah Vensil, an Assistant Professor of Instruction at OUZ, was the one to nominate the Table to be the recipient of the 2025 Outstanding Community Partner Award through Ohio University Zanesville.

Vensil and Warden traveled to the Athens Campus to accept the award in person and explained why she chose the Table for this honor.

“To find an agency that is so willing to accept students into their everyday, and kind of implement them and include them in their everyday work is really special.” Dr. Vensil said. “I knew that Keely has the heart and the knowledge and the need for extra hands on deck but she’s also someone that the students can see as a mentor and that they can look up to and so I knew she would be a great fit. The first year that we did this we only came one, and the feedback that we got from the students, they were like I want to do that over and over and over again. I changed my model and how I did the class that year and we’ve been coming here solely every Thursday ever since and it’s been incredible.”

“The people we serve, it just has been so great for the people we serve to see these young people come in.” Warden said. “It’s life changing for them too, to be able to see different smiles on Thursdays, they look forward to seeing these kids and they’re building relationships and it’s great to see the students out having lunch with the people we serve, having conversations and just learning real life.”

This week Dr. Vensil’s students got to stocking and organizing the shelves down in the pantry then moved to stuffing candy bags for Halloween at the Table.