Families are busier than ever these days. Children are increasingly involved in traveling sports programs. Youth camps, which are almost required to be part of a team, can take weeks away from a summer. And there is an endless list of activities, programs and projects to be involved in which can take over nearly every evening. 

Something has to give to fit all this in and unfortunately, the most common and easiest thing to give up is dinner. Families are obviously still eating dinner, but it’s usually as they are driving from one event to another, pulling through a fast-food drive-thru along the way. 

Instead what they are giving up is dinner together as a family. What is being lost is sitting around a table with one another, finding time to share how their day went, sharing the good things that happened that day and the not-so-good things that happened that day.

McCook’s Judge Paine created “Come to the Table” nearly a decade ago, an initiative centered around one of the simplest, yet most powerful protective factors for children: sharing a meal together. 

Studies show that regular family dinners improve children's school grades, build bigger vocabularies, and encourage healthier eating. Local advocates note that a shared meal isn't just about food; it's about creating a space where children feel seen, heard, and connected.

Ironically, even sports teams recognize the importance of sitting down together over food. Team meals are common across a variety of sports. Coaches recognize that the simple act of eating together brings people - in this case, teammates - closer together. 

Last September, Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) helped relaunch the “Come to the Table” initiative by hosting a community meal during the downtown Third Thursday event. Tables lined Norris Avenue with families putting down their phones and looking up at their family members sitting across from them. Food and drinks covered the tables, while conversations and laughter filled the air. It was a reminder that bringing people together around a table builds relationships, strengthens communities, and helps families feel connected.

CASA was joined by Wal-Mart and Community Kitchen, a non-profit dedicated to healthy eating, for another “Come to the Table” at the Third Thursday in June. Again, families and friends were simply enjoying their time together and finding time to reconnect in the midst of a busy day.

While these events are just two opportunities to sit down for a meal together, dinner as a family should be the norm instead of the exception. 

To grow that vision, a “Come to the Table” Facebook page has been created, meant to encourage, educate, and inspire families throughout the area. Over time, the goal of the page is to offer practical ideas, conversation starters, recipes, family activities, local stories, and reminders that even one meal together can make a difference.

Families are encouraged to follow the “Come to the Table” Facebook page at facebook.com/CometothetableNebraska.

Organizers are trying to create a culture that celebrates connection, encourages presence, and reminds parents that they don't have to be perfect. Sometimes simply sitting down together is enough. Share photos, ideas, recipes, conversation starters, or stories that encourage families to gather around the table.

As students return to the classroom over the next few weeks, the importance of sharing a meal together is more important than ever with increased school success, improved mental health and better communication. 

There is so much potential by sharing a meal together. There is importance in breaking bread with one another. And there is tremendous power by simply coming to the table.