A Seat
at the Table
Dinner table conversations that introduce the world to children it never got to meet.
Two families. A table. No script.
Most parents who have lost a child carry the weight of a name the world never learned to say. This series gives that name a room to sit in.
A Seat at the Table is not a grief documentary. It is not a trauma reel. It is a dinner table conversation between two families who share a loss - introducing each other to the children they carry in their hearts every single day.
Sam and Stacey anchor each episode as hosts who have also lost. They are not interviewers. They are parents who understand the particular silence that follows when you want to say your child's name and no one in the room knew them.
What you'll be asked.
Any family that has lost a child.
This series was built to be open - to any cause of loss, any background, any faith tradition. There are no requirements except the willingness to sit down and say your child's name.
Stillbirth, premature birth, illness, accident - the series does not define or categorize. Loss is loss.
We're based in Minnesota and filming in the region first - but geography is not a barrier if you want your child's story told.
Manny's Fund is faith-centered in its foundation. The series welcomes families of any belief and no belief at all.
It started with one name.
Manuel Michael Rodriguez was born on August 7, 2008 - 30 weeks, four pounds, an emergency c-section. His father Sam was there. His mother Stacey was under anesthesia. In those first moments, Manny opened his eyes.
He only knew love.
Sam and Stacey have carried Manny's name for years - through 87 Acts of Kindness, through the fund at Akron Children's Hospital, and now through this series. A Seat at the Table exists because they know what it means to want your child's name said out loud by someone who will actually listen.
Every episode is an act of witness. Every name on this page is a life that mattered.
Your child's name deserves a screen.
The application takes about ten minutes. We ask about your family, your child, and how you're doing now. There's no wrong way to answer. If you're ready to sit down, we're ready to listen.
Apply for Your EpisodeHelp fund the series.
Each episode costs money to produce. Your sponsorship keeps the series free for families. You'll be recognized by name at the close of every episode you support - alongside the child's name.
See Sponsorship Options