With the holidays fast approaching, now is the perfect time to give back to your community as well as your friends and family! While there are many ways you can do so, one opportunity to consider is the One-Table event that takes place next month. If this is something you’ve never heard of before, the One-Table event is an annual collaboration between the Fresno Mission and the Central California Food Bank – with the help of local politicians, pastors, community leaders, and businesses such as FFB Bank. Through this wonderful event, we are all able to come together and assist the families around us who may be in need of food and coats this season!

What is the One-Table Event?

As previously mentioned, the One-Table Event is hosted every year by the Fresno Mission and the Central California Food Bank. The goal of this event is to provide a hot meal to local families in need. In fact, the meal is personally served by prominent members of the community such as the aforementioned CEOs, politicians, pastors, and community leaders. Plus at the end of the event, each family who attends will also be given coats and a week’s worth of food to take home with them.

When and where will One-Table take place?

This year, the One-Table Event will be taking place on November 18th at the Fresno Mission’s newly renovated campus, City Center. You can find the City Center at 2025 E. Dakota Ave, Fresno, CA 93726.

How can I help?

If you’re interested in supporting the One-Table Event, there are several different ways to do so!

  • Volunteer: One way to get involved with One-Table is by signing up to volunteer with the Fresno Mission throughout the week of the event. For instance, you can help prepare for the event beforehand or aid the Fresno Mission day-of. For those who choose to volunteer beforehand, you’ll be tasked with organizing the coats for the families who attend and setting up the event. Meanwhile, for those who wish to volunteer on the 18th, you’ll be assisting with parking, registration, coat distribution, and tear-down. No matter what you choose to do, your help will be greatly appreciated in making the event run as smooth as possible!
  • Host a Drive: Another way to support this event is by hosting a drive to help the Fresno Mission collect coats, socks, and beanies for the families who attend. In fact, this is also one of the ways in which FFB Bank is taking part in the One-Table event! If you’re also a business owner, you may want to consider hosting a drive at your storefront. Plus, for those who have customers outside of Fresno, the Fresno Mission offers a link to an Amazon storefront they can still participate even if they can’t donate in-person! To get started hosting a drive on behalf of the Fresno Mission, you can reach out to events@fresnomission.org for more details and information.
  • Donate a Coat: In that same vein, business owners and individuals alike can help the One-Table event by providing coats for the Fresno Mission to give out on November 18th. Be sure to keep an eye out for local businesses such as FFB Bank who will have the branded One-Table donation bins on-site. Of course if you aren’t able to visit a drop-off location in person, you can always purchase coats to be sent to the mission through the previously mentioned Amazon link. Any new or gently used coats that you can spare for men, women, and children will be appreciated!
  • Sponsor the Event: Once again if you’re a local businessowner looking to get involved with this great cause, you may want to consider sponsoring the event. Even if you don’t get a chance to provide a sponsorship this year, One-Table is an annual event so there are future opportunities to support it! Plus for individuals who may not be interested in a sponsorship, you can still provide monetary support for the Fresno Mission not just at this event, but also year-round through one-time or monthly donations. For more information on donations and sponsorships, you can visit the Fresno Mission’s One-Table page.

Summary

The holidays are a joyous time for everyone, but some families may be struggling more than others to get food on the table or keep warm this winter. With events such as One-Table, members of the community can do their part to help provide for these families and make sure everyone is prepared to have a happy, comfortable season. Especially at the bank, we hold this cause close to our hearts and are helping to support One-Table in any way we can. If you too are touched by the purpose of this event, then please feel free to join in! No matter what you do to help with One-Table, you will be making a valuable contribution to change the lives of those in need.