Registration Opens for On the Table, A New Community Foundation Initiative
On the Table is an engaging conversation initiative that will bring people together on October 24, 2018 to break bread and discuss our communities’ futures at tables across the Midlands. be provided by the host, or guests can purchase their own food, bring a brown bag, or contribute to a potluck.
Central Carolina Community Foundation, the Midlands’ center for philanthropy, invites residents to participate in On the Table, an initiative that will bring people together to break bread and share their thoughts on what’s great about our community and how we can make it even better — more generous, vibrant, and engaged. Part of a national initiative to connect communities on issues that are important to them, the conversations will be held on Wednesday, October 24 and include residents from across Richland and Lexington Counties. “On the Table conversations are all about encouraging our residents to think about the issues they care about, who we are as a community, where we’re going, and what we can do to get there,” said JoAnn Turnquist, president and CEO of Central Carolina Community Foundation. “It’s about discovering how each us can join together to make our region a better place to live. The more voices we hear, the better decisions we can make together.” On the Table will bring a diversity of voices together across the community to discuss the future and inspire actionable ideas to strengthen communities. It is funded by the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation as part of a national initiative. The goal is for hundreds of area residents, from all walks of life, ages, and backgrounds, to participate in conversations on October 24 and beyond.
The Foundation will provide a toolkit that includes hosting tips and suggested discussion questions that can be used. The host and participants can also select their own topics, issues, and ideas to discuss. A Lead the Table reception and training session will be held for hosts on Tuesday, October 2, 2018.
Host a Table or Participate as a Guest Area residents, nonprofits, places of worship, businesses, and others are invited to participate by hosting a small group table of six to twelve or by participating as a guest at someone else’s table. Hosts have the flexibility to determine the invitation list (people they know or have not yet met) and location for their On the Table conversations, which can be held in homes, restaurants, parks, or community spaces at any time on October 24 — breakfast, lunch, or dinnertime, before or after work, or late in the evening. Food can
Many people will be invited to participate in an On the Table conversation by an individual or organization. The Community Foundation will also be partnering with local organizations to host tables open to the public. Hosts can register and public conversations will be listed at www.onthetablecola.org.
It’s More than Just A One Day Event – It’s a Movement While the first component of this initiative is to foster focused conversations at dining tables across our region, the end goal is to keep these conversations going and, ultimately, to increase the impact that individuals and groups have on the community when they continued on page 5 work together.
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