‘On the Table’ event gets SWFL residents talking about what’s important to them

Reporter: Nicole Gabe
Published: Updated:
Agenda (On the Table website)

On Thursday at all different hours, people got together at 150 different locations in Southwest Florida to put their issues “on the table.”

Coffee shops, offices, even a neighborhood—people of all kinds brought together to talk about what matters to them and what they think we should do to make our hometowns better places to live.

“So it’s really opportunity on one day for the entire region to have a conversation about how they feel about their community,” said Sarah Owen.

Kinfay Moroti went to three different “On the Table” talks.

“I was just really curious to see what our community is talking about when faced with challenges of identifying challenges or concerns that are very important to our community – so that’s what drew me to those — curiosity,” he said.

Each table was filled with diversity.

“We are in our own little communities and though we are in our own communities, we are one community, and I want to see us working more together and being more inclusive,” said Karen.

Topics were centered on affordable housing and growth, traffic, education, diversity, church advocacy and many more.

“I hope it creates a movement. I hope it’s one of those things that the community gets behind five or six of these conversation points and starts to move things forward,” said.

Everyone who joined an “On the Table” discussion will fill out a survey. The Southwest Florida Community Foundation, the driving force behind Thursday’s “On the Table,” will then steer money in the direction of what we decide our priorities are.

If you are still interested in putting your ideas “On the Table,” there are table talks continuing throughout the evening.

For more information about SWFLCF and On the Table, click here.

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