The “Dine and Dialogue” summer series was hosted with the purpose of bringing community members together to enjoy a casual dinner, learn about the featured topic, and discuss with each other their hopes and ideas for the future of North Fair Oaks. Between June and August 2015, the North Fair Oaks Forward team organized three Dine and Dialogue events at the Fair Oaks Health Center.

 

The first event of the series took place on Wednesday, June 10^th, 2015, and a total of 32 attendees discussed “Complete Streets” as the featured topic. ST Mayer, Director of Health Policy and Planning, and Will Gibson, Planning and Building Department, gave a presentation about how streets can be used and designed to work for all community members. In small groups, attendees discussed how the topic applied specifically to the unincorporated area of North Fair Oaks and the Middlefield Road Redesign Project.

 

The second Dine and Dialogue took place on Wednesday, July 8^th, 2015, and a total of 18 attendees discussed “Green Spaces” as the featured topic. Carla Schoof, Community Programs Specialist for the Parks Department, gave a presentation on how parks, gardens, and other green spaces can be utilized within the community. Attendees discussed their thoughts on current green spaces and parks in North Fair Oaks, and expressed their views on how green spaces can be incorporated in their neighborhoods in the future.

The third Dine and Dialogue took place on Wednesday, August 12^th, 2015, and a total of 15 attendees discussed “Healthy Habits” as the featured topic. Dr. Hemal Mehta, Pediatrician at the Fair Oaks Health Center, gave a presentation on the Healthy Weight Collaborative model for helping families develop healthy eating habits. In small groups, attendees discussed ways to incorporate healthy habits and better food choices into their everyday lives.

 

Overall, the Dine and Dialogue series had a positive turnout and was successful in engaging community members around key issues in North Fair Oaks. Of the 50 evaluations completed, 90% of attendees rated the presentation information as “useful” or “very useful,” and 90% agreed that the event provided a comfortable environment to share their opinions. Attendees provided feedback about what they enjoyed most: the interactive nature of the small group discussions and the opportunity to speak directly to County representatives and NFO Council Members. Attendees also provided suggestions for future dialogue topics including affordable housing, parking solutions, education, transportation, the environment, art, culture, and voter registration.

 

For more information, contact Ashley Quintana, Outreach Coordinator, at aquintana@smcgov.org or 650.363.4084.