By Maria Mendoza
OUR VOICE COUNTS
The Community Table, or La Mesa Comunitaria, is a student initiative led by about 10 founding students from Sun Valley Community School (SVCS), Wood River High School (WRHS), and a home school. These students have partnered together in an effort to set up neighborhood events in underserved areas of our Valley. The vision is to build bridges between people in our Valley by providing meals, joy, resources, and a sense of community to those in need.
Students from WRHS and SVCS have had ongoing opportunities to collaborate together and develop connections and friendships in a setting where they can break down stereotypes built about each other and their student bodies as they strive to be a positive, providing force in our community. The initiative also provides an opportunity to realize friendships with various communities by creating a space in which people may talk and share stories among one another—building connections between members of the Valley who would have otherwise not been given a chance to meet or connect.
The Community Table/La Mesa Comunitaria is also an invaluable leadership opportunity for students who love our Valley and make up a part of our community. This nonprofit was not only founded by students, but is also entirely run by them, as well; planning, shopping, cooking, serving, set-up, running the activities, and cleaning up is all done by our student members.
At present, we have had the good fortune to connect with five communities, to hold eight events since April, to serve over 300 meals, and to work with over 60 volunteers to serve our community. We’ve also had opportunities to collaborate with several community supporters in our Valley, many of whom have made donations to our cause, including The Youth Generosity Project, the I Have A Dream Foundation, Flourish Foundation, Neighbors Helping Neighbors, Church of the Big Wood, Albertsons, POWER Engineers, La Cabañita, Lago Azul, The Community Library, Atkinsons’ Market, Wood River Tortillas, and The Toy Store.
Our next event will be at the Wood River Community YMCA on Saturday, Nov. 13, from 2-5 p.m.