Last year during Franklin Tomorrow’s On The Table initiative, we learned that 26% of participants didn’t know how to get involved in the community despite their desire to be more plugged in. For 2019’s initiative, we want to help connect community members with the needs of our area. This year, we will wrap up our week of On The Table conversations with a morning event called Engage Franklin on Saturday, Nov. 9.

Engage Franklin will provide attendees the opportunity to learn more about the needs of the community and get plugged into direct service. We are inviting nonprofits with direct service opportunities to share their information with attendees during a service fair at Engage Franklin.

Attendees will also have the opportunity to engage in a last-chance On The Table conversation. This come-and-go event is open to the public. Breakfast snacks will be served throughout the morning.

Engage Franklin will take place in the Administrative Building on Columbia State Community College’s Williamson Campus from 9-11 a.m.

In 2019, On The Table will be a week-long series of opportunities for people to gather in small groups around a table with friends, neighbors, colleagues and maybe even a few people meeting for the first time, to share a meal and have a real conversation about what’s important to Franklin. The event will kick off on Tuesday, Nov. 5, and additional events will occur across the City in both public and private events through Saturday, Nov. 9, when Franklin Tomorrow will host a community-wide reflection and engagement fair.

Table hosts are needed and can sign up at through this link. Hosts will gather groups of 8-12 people for a meal and discussion about issues that are important to them. Hosts will receive training, a toolkit, and supporting materials to make the day a success. Training will continue throughout the month of October.

For more information, visit Franklin Tomorrow’s website at www.franklintomorrow.org/onthetable. Anyone who lives or works in Franklin can be a table host – church groups, neighborhood associations, non-profits, school clubs, business owners, and individuals who wish to be more involved in the community are encouraged to participate.

On The Table 2019 will kick off on Tuesday, Nov. 5, at the nonprofit organization’s quarterly Breakfast With the Mayors at Rolling Hills Community Church. To RSVP to attend Breakfast With the Mayors, follow this link. On The Table conversations are intended to inspire people to take action and seize opportunities in the community. Adding a diversity of voices provides unique discussions around varying issues that matter to the community. After conversations happen, participants will be asked to share their outcomes and provide feedback around topics discussed through a post-event survey. Franklin Tomorrow will continue to share and discuss the findings to explore ways in which Franklin can work together to create the most engaged, generous and welcoming community for all.