Who’s at the Table? Lessons in Community Participation

Community participation is at the heart of community cafés—but what does participation really mean, and how do our choices influence it over time? In this interactive workshop, participants will explore a shared definition of community participation and examine how it shows up in day‑to‑day café operations, programs, and culture.

Using Taste Community Restaurant as a case study, we will take a retrospective look at participation rates and trends over time. Participants will learn about specific adjustments the café has made—such as changes in service model, outreach strategies, volunteer engagement, and guest experience—and how these shifts impacted who participated, how often, and in what ways.

The workshop will then turn outward, creating space for dialogue among attendees. Each café will be invited to reflect on their own participation goals and challenges, share strategies they are currently using to influence participation, and learn from peers across the Community Café network.

Participants will:

• Develop a working, values‑aligned definition of community participation

• Review real participation data and programmatic adjustments from Taste Community Restaurant

• Explore practical strategies cafés use to increase access, belonging, and engagement

• Share successes, challenges, and questions with fellow community café leaders

• Leave with ideas and tools to intentionally shape participation in their own café context

This session is designed for café leaders, staff, and board members who want to better understand participation—not just as a metric, but as a meaningful expression of community connection and impact.

FACILITATOR: Jeff Williams, Taste Project

LOCATION:
First Presbyterian Church
650 2nd Ave North
Fargo, ND 58102