Everyone deserves a seat at the table. Hope Served firmly believes that, and the Manheim nonprofit invites you to "Come to the Table" at Hope Served Illumination 2026. The banquet will be held on Friday, Sept. 11, at Hope Served, 201 W. High St., Manheim, from 6 to 8:30 p.m.

"We're excited to invite you to Come to the Table at the newly completed Hope Served teaching kitchen and bistro," said Karen Courtright, community connections coordinator for Hope Served. "Enjoy delicious food, lively entertainment and guided tours of our facility. Meet our passionate team and join us in celebrating disability inclusion in a warm and welcoming atmosphere."

The festivities will also include a coffee tasting experience, a mocktail and "dirty soda" bar, silent auctions, giveaway prizes and more.

Hope Served comes alongside individuals with disabilities and their local communities to develop creative opportunities for authentic participation in all aspects of life, Courtright said. Proceeds from the banquet will help the nonprofit further its mission of providing employment opportunities in its space at the former Manheim Mennonite Church through the creation of both a teaching kitchen and a bistro that will be open to the community.

"Transforming a former church into a teaching kitchen and bistro takes a community of supporters to partner with us," Courtright remarked. "Proceeds from the event will go toward the renovation costs and programming for Hope Served."

Hope Served's initiatives include establishment of a branded coffee microenterprise and operation of a coffee bar located in Pleasant View Communities. Members of the organization also create one-of-a-kind greeting cards, with proceeds from sales benefiting the nonprofit.

"Across the United States, only about one in four working-age adults with disabilities is employed. Those numbers don't reflect a lack of ability - they reflect a lack of opportunity," Courtright explained. "That's where Hope Served comes in. We're more than a nonprofit, and we're more than a cafe. We're a social enterprise - a business with a mission. Every cup of coffee we serve, every meal we prepare and every customer who walks through our doors helps create real employment, job training, confidence and independence for people who deserve the chance to succeed."

She invites anyone who is interested to come to the banquet to learn more about Hope Served and its impact on the community.

"The event will give everyone an opportunity to tour the space and preview what we're cooking up for the fall launch. Staff, volunteers and associates will be on hand to answer questions and share what makes Hope Served so unique," she said. "(The banquet is) an invitation for the community to partner with us to close the unemployment gap for individuals with disabilities."

For more information or to purchase tickets for Hope Served Illumination 2026, visit https://tinyurl.com/bdxkpj28.