This event consisted of a free dinner catered by Root, a walking tour of the Salem YMCA’s GreenSpace garden, and a general discussion about food access in Salem.
By Janiela Quinones
On September 6th, 2025, SAFE had the pleasure of attending The Longest Table hosted by the Salem Food Policy Council (SFPC) as one of the event supporters. This event consisted of a free dinner catered by Root, a walking tour of the Salem YMCA’s GreenSpace garden, and a general discussion about food access in Salem.
After the garden tours—as the rain began to pour—the council brought on several speakers to not only welcome guests, but empower their voices and experiences in regards to food accessibility in Salem. Accompanied by these speakers was an interpreter, aiding the large population of Spanish-speaking individuals from Salem and The Point neighborhood. Mayor Dominick Pangallo came to speak on behalf of the City of Salem—further uniting the community over dinner. Lucy Corchado, The Point Neighborhood Association President, also spoke in front of the community. As a Latina and Spanish-speaker herself, she connected with the Latin population present at this event—going as far as interacting one-on-one with community members during the dinner.
During dinner, the SFPC surveyed guests on food access by allowing them to write on the table cloths. The event allowed for community engagement and feedback for the betterment of food access in Salem.
We appreciate being included in this event and we hope to continue supporting Salem Food Policy Council’s future endeavors towards better food accessibility in Salem.
Janiela Quinones is SAFE’s Communications Intern.