In honour of their 75th anniversary this Thursday, September 13th, the Vancouver Foundation will kick off an exciting community initiative and social media campaign called On the Table. Their goal is to encourage the sort of neighbourhood gatherings, social connections and conversations that BC residents resoundingly feel are lacking in their respective communities.

“Last year Vancouver Foundation released research that showed many people are feeling lonely and disconnected. To respond, we’re calling on everyone across BC to help create a sense of welcome and belonging in our communities. With On the Table, we’re stepping up to do our part. And we’ve created a platform for others to do the same.”

“It’s a simple idea, but a deeply profound one. Each host will choose their own venue, serve their own food, and talk about the issues and ideas they find most interesting. The topics people discuss will be collected and shared—giving us an exciting snapshot of what’s on people’s minds throughout BC right now. It’s a fun, meaningful opportunity for people everywhere to meet, gather, and share.”

The Vancouver Foundation is making it especially easy by providing the organizational tools necessary to bring people together around tables via their website. By facilitating the event to take place mostly over the course of a single day, the result will be an en mass discussion and awareness-raising that will be documented via the Vancouver Foundation’s social media outlets.

Anyone living in BC who is interested in hosting an event is encouraged to utilize On the Table’s resources and register online. Guidelines for the events are flexible, leaving the topics and snack spread up to the hosts and/or their guests. The gatherings can be big, public affairs at a neighbourhood restaurant or intimate, low-key potluck style hangs, but regardless of the scope and location of the happenings the important part is the act of coming together.

We think this is a great opportunity to set the precedent for a more welcoming and open community at large by making On the Table as impactful as possible! Find out more here, sign up for an event and get sharing!