On the table bc

In 2017, Vancouver Foundation’s research revealed a growing sense of disconnection and the difficulty many faced in moving beyond small talk within their communities. To address social isolation, Cause+Affect brought me on to lead the digital and content strategy for On the Table BC. Understanding the barriers to meeting new people, we explored the challenges posed by social isolation in Vancouver and its impact on community cohesion.

Our strategy centered on adding value to conversations around social isolation, leading to the creation of the Meet the Host series. These stories spotlighted community catalysts who were fostering connections through food and meaningful conversations. By highlighting their efforts, we built a bridge to the On the Table BC platform, which was designed to simplify event organization and encourage social engagement in communities. This initiative not only brought people together but also underscored the power of storytelling in inspiring connection and change.

This three-year project, which proved especially impactful during the pandemic, brought communities across British Columbia closer together. With over 6,500 attendees, 850,000 online connections, and 4,369 people using toolkits to foster gatherings, the initiative demonstrated the power of simple, meaningful connection. It showed that anyone can be a host—sometimes, all it takes is a gentle nudge and the right excuse to bring people together. Being part of this effort was a privilege, as it reinforced the importance of community, even in the most challenging times.