A fundraiser can be flashy and still be deeply practical, and Giving Table is built to do both. Teresa Allen from Charitable Union sits down with Community Matters to unpack the newly named event at FireKeepers Casino and Hotel and the real reason it exists: keeping vital nonprofit services stable while community need continues to climb.
You’ll also hear how the table decorating tradition really works. From witches to circuses to Kentucky Derby ideas, creativity becomes the conversation starter that brings people together.
Then we get to the heart of it: Charitable Union’s free store model and how donated jeans, T-shirts, steel-toed boots, and scrubs turn into real relief for neighbors who need to prioritize rent, utilities, and food. Teresa explains what it means to serve nearly 9,000 people in a year, why shopping visits are rising, and why flexible fundraiser dollars matter when grant funding is restricted, flat, or decreasing.
The Giving Table Fundraiser is Thursday, April 30 from 5:00 to 8:00 PM at FireKeeper Casino, 11177 East Michigan Ave in Battle Creek
Tickets for the event are available through the Charitable Union website or in-person at the Charitable Union gift shop located at 85 Calhoun Street in Battle Creek
Episode Resources
Charitable Union Website
ABOUT COMMUNITY MATTERS
Former WBCK Morning Show host Richard Piet (2014-2017) returns to host Community Matters, an interview program focused on community leaders and newsmakers in and around Battle Creek. Community Matters is heard Saturdays, 8:00 AM Eastern on WBCK-FM (95.3) and anytime at battlecreekpodcast.com.
Community Matters is sponsored by Lakeview Ford Lincoln and produced by Livemic Communications.