Looking for 10,000 people to dine, talk

The Chicago Community Trust, one of the nation’s oldest philanthropies, is looking for people who aren’t afraid to speak their minds.

Ten thousand people, to be precise.

To celebrate the trust’s 99th anniversary, the organization is hoping to bring together some 10,000 people of all ages and from “all walks of life,” to sit down for a meal on May 12 and to talk about, well, anything.

Actually, the trust folks hope the conversations “generate new ideas, inspire bold solutions and cultivate relationships and collaborations to improve communities region-wide.”

The “On the Table” conversations are expected to take place in people’s homes, community centers, restaurants and elsewhere across the Chicago region, organizers say. To date, some 250 hosts have signed up for the event.

For more information or to sign up to participate either as a host or a guest, Chicagoarea residents should visit onthetable2014.com or call (866) 737-6951. The Chicago SunTimes is a participant in the event.

At the end of the event, the trust will send each participant an email survey.

The trust, partnering with a range of donors, grants more than $100 million annually to nonprofit arts organizations and human services groups, among others.