Community Building Tip: Food

[ysabetwordsmith]

For my current set of tips, I'm using the list "101 Small Ways You Can Improve Your City.

68. Set the table for community conversation. After breaking bread with someone, it’s hard to consider them a stranger. That’s the philosophy that informed The Longest Table, a 400-person feast put together by community groups in Tallahassee, Florida, to break down social barriers and get neighbors talking to each other.

While the concept of food as bonding is valid, not everyone likes large feasts nor is a crowd conducive to close personal connections.  Consider also offering introvert parties or arrangements where families trade hosting each other.  The latter is especially useful across ethnic lines or other cases where people may have quite different cuisines.

Comments

[(Anonymous)]

Quakers in my area sometimes do Friendly Eights which is the dinner thing with eight people.

For cross cultural meals be careful about dietary taboos/restrictions, ettiquite, and expected significance of the whole ritual.

(Allergies and the polite way to eat with your hands may require some extra explanation. A full Dinner-and-Socialize Ceremony may take several hours. And I've unintentionally freaked people out by refusing food/meals...)

[erulisse]

A couple of the UU churches I attended also did dinner groups of about eight and that was usually a nice way to get to know people. Even eight is on the high end for number of people I can interact with in a group but it is /much/ better than the scenario described above.

[(Anonymous)]

Its possible that churchy things cross-pollination. Ir just that good ideas cross-pollinate.

[(Anonymous)]

For nonfood options, try games and other activities (craft booth, sidewalk chalk, toys in the park, free beer...)

Thoughts

[ysabetwordsmith]

>> For nonfood options, try games and other activities <<

Jumbo games are awesome for involvement. They help everyone feel like a kid again. While storebought versions can be ruinously expensive, you can make a chess/checkers set with paint, paint can or other large lids, and a big sheet or tarp. To make chess pieces, just use stencils -- there are 2D symbol sets to distinguish the pieces. Jumbo Jenga just requires several 2x4s, a saw, a sander, and your chosen finish.

>> (craft booth, sidewalk chalk, toys in the park,<<

Many papercrafts can be made from old wrapping paper or magazines. Chalk is cheap and washes off easily. For park toys, look at loose parts: stones, shells, pinecones, and small or large "tree cookies." Bubble solution and toys are also cheap, and the drifting bubbles really attract attention.

>> free beer...) <<

Beer gardens are enormously popular, and do lower inhibitions, but that's not always a good thing. I wouldn't serve alcohol when trying to chamfer people together. And let's not forget that's how Hitler grew the Nazi party in the beginning. 0_o

Re: Thoughts

[(Anonymous)]

I was more thinking this:

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=eKs4sbvGLDA

...than a formal beer garden.

[A couple of friends invite neighbors to have a beer and chat on the lawn.]