On Nov. 13, 2025, the Westside Farm-to-Table Community Dinner Experience took place at a A More Excellent Way Life Center Church. The gathering brought together neighbors, friends and organizations to celebrate community and build support for A More Excellent Way’s John 6 Community Food Pantry. Dr. Shanequa Smith, a restorative practitioner in Charleston, was deeply involved in helping organize the event. 

Dr. Smith says her vision for planning the farm-to-table dinner started with knowing the importance of food from previous volunteer work. She worked alongside students during food distributions and observed over time that the demand was higher than the supply. Dr. Smith also noticed that people in her community working 40 hours or more a week still could not afford enough food for their families. 

Dr. Smith learned that Bishop Robert L. Haley of A More Excellent Way runs his food pantry every third Saturday of the month – the timing serves an intentional purpose. This is because Bishop Haley remembers that while he was growing up, families would run out of food toward the end of the month. So, he schedules distribution during a time when the need is greatest. Recognizing the importance of food and knowing that Bishop Haley distributes food based on community demand, Dr. Smith wanted to create an event to support this mission. 

“If we support our food pantry, then when we go through these sways and things of life, we won’t be hit so hard because we have built that internal support within our community that all communities need,” she says. 

Dr. Smith thought about the idea of a farm-to-table dinner fundraiser. However, she noted that many farm-to-table dinners charge ticket prices of around $100, and she acknowledged that the cost is not affordable for everyone in the community. She contemplated how to create a great experience, bring awareness to supporting the food pantry, and get people involved in fundraising for the event. Bishop Haley and his planning team invited local organizations to sponsor the dinner, which not only helped fund the event but also covered ticket costs for West Side community members. 

“All the money that was raised for the tickets was able to go into the food pantry, and we had enough sponsors that we were able to invite community members for free,” Dr. Smith says. 

Alongside Dr. Smith, Bishop Haley and the event sponsors, many hands contributed to the success of the farm-to-table dinner, making it a true collective effort. Danita Haley, A More Excellent Way’s First Lady, played a key role in the appearance and setup of the dinner, producing a beautiful ambiance. Dr. Smith says Chef Ke did a phenomenal job at creating the dinner menu. There were about 25 volunteers who helped serve food, wash dishes, carry tables and chairs, and pack things up. 

Dr. Smith says feedback on the event reflected gratitude, with many community members sharing that it was their first farm-to-table experience. Attendees further shared positive reactions through Facebook posts and comments, according to Dr. Smith. People also praised the food. Chef Ke provided a salad dressing for guests to take home, allowing them to recreate the experience in their own kitchens. 

“We hope that we can create this experience again, not only to raise food for the food pantry, but to also create this joyous experience in a community that many of times does not get opportunities to have such experiences,” Dr. Smith says.  

Dr. Smith also noted her appreciation for WST photographer Rafael Barker being there to capture the moment. ​​She explains that community events often require significant effort. Yet sometimes, the events are not documented by a newsperson or photographer, making Rafael’s presence meaningful in helping share the story beyond those directly involved. 

“If no one is there to tell a story, how will people know?” Dr. Smith says. “So, I’m learning that it’s important for us not only to do the work, but to tell the story so people can support the work that we actually are doing.” 

One of the biggest takeaways from the farm-to-table dinner, according to Dr. Smith, is when farmer Jason Tartt spoke about his work in McDowell County. Some guests were unaware of Jason’s McDowell County farm and expressed interest in visiting it. Dr. Smith says efforts are underway to seek partner funding for buses or vans that would allow West Side community members to visit the farm this spring. 

In addition to helping plan the farm-to-table dinner, Dr. Smith was able to build a collaboration between Chef Ke and A More Excellent Way. She says that prior to the event, Chef Ke and Bishop Haley had heard of each other but did not directly know each other. A More Excellent Way also has a commercial kitchen project upstairs that the church plans to use for community meals and other opportunities, a resource that Dr. Smith felt Chef Ke should know about. 

There are also many people on the West Side with catering jobs who could utilize the kitchen to prepare food. Furthermore, the kitchen could be used for training purposes, as young people interested in culinary arts could come to learn there. Dr. Smith added that because the commercial kitchen is a years-long project that Bishop Haley has poured into, outside entities could offer resources or programs to help ensure his vision is being implemented. 

“I think strongly it’s definitely going to be a space of helping to build community because we know food is important, food brings people together, food strengthens people, so food strengthens the movement,” Dr. Smith says. “So, having that space where we can look forward to it being open for the community to come and use it as the need is, is great to know that’s coming up.”