Tabling toolkit

Why Host a Tabling Event in Your Community?

Tabling is when a group sets up a station at a community event or place like a farmer’s market, school fair, or outside a grocery store to share information about an issue that is important to them.

There are many benefits to tabling. Here are some:

• Educate the public and raise awareness of Mothers Out Front
• Learn how the climate crisis is affecting moms and children in the community you are tabling in
• Change opinions about the climate crisis and how moms can make a difference  
• Allow interested moms and caregivers to get involved

Table at any location with a large number of people, specifically moms who have the time to stop, look at information, and/or have a conversation about climate solutions. 

Planning Your Table

• Set a goal for your tabling effort. What are you hoping to accomplish by participating in this tactic? How would you know if you are successful?  Determine how many volunteers and shifts you need for this opportunity.
• Develop a message that will resonate with the audience, and what are you asking moms to do? Make your message clear and concise, and your ask should be direct and yield a definite response. 
• Contact event sponsors in advance to find out about their policies, procedures, and resources they will provide (table, chair, canopy, etc.) 
• Gather the materials you will need like sign-in sheets, brochures, pledge cards, etc. 
• Keep it COVID-safe by bringing wipes for pens (or use the QR code poster), hand sanitizer, wear masks and/or keeping a safe distance while you are talking to people.
• Decide on climate activities like but not limited to games, art build, or swag to bring a large group of people to your table
• Bring an activity for kids to do while you talk to their parents.
• Download the mobile app FieldEdge on your phone to enter people’s info into the database in real-time and also after the event.  If you need additional support with data, please contact Database Administrator, Danyelle Dosunmu at danyelle.dosunmu@mothersoutfront.org.

Also, debrief this experience as a team to learn and grow with each other-  what worked, areas for improvement, and next steps.