Put Your Ideas “On the Table” with Groupon and The Chicago Community Trust

Groupon announced today that it will partner with The Chicago Community Trust to engage Chicago-area residents in mealtime conversations on making our communities stronger, safer and more dynamic. The initiative, which commemorates the Trust’s 99th anniversary, is called On the Table and aspires to bring more than 10,000 Chicagoans together on Monday, May 12 to generate new ideas, inspire bold solutions and cultivate collaborations to improve communities throughout Chicago and the surrounding area.

Specifically, Groupon will offer interested participants the opportunity to purchase a deal to dine at 8- to 10-person community tables on May 12 at the following restaurants:

• Bin 36 at 339 N. Dearborn Street: $55 per person at 7 p.m.
• Cafe Absinthe at 1954 W. North Avenue: $55 per person at 7 p.m.
• MK at 868 N. Franklin Street: $55 per person at 6:30 p.m.
• Piece Pizza at 1927 W. North Avenue: $25 per person at 7 p.m.
• Ras Dashen Ethiopian Restaurant at 5846 N. Broadway Street: $25 per person at 6:30 p.m.

• Carson’s River North at 612 N. Wells Street: $55 per person at 7 p.m.
• Ethiopian Diamond Restaurant at 7537 N. Clark Street: $55 per person at 7 p.m.
• Café des Architectes at 20 E. Chestnut Street: $55 per person at 7 p.m.

To join a community table, simply search “#OnTheTable2014” on Groupon or visit http://www.groupon.com/deals/on-the-table beginning today to reserve your spot for May 12. Representatives from the Social Enterprise Alliance - Chicago, an organization that leverages its members to advance social change through their for-profit and nonprofit work, will serve as a Groupon-sponsored host at each table to help guide the conversation. At MK, Lisa Kornick, owner, will lead the discussion.

“As a company born and raised in Chicago, Groupon is delighted to support The Chicago Community Trust's On The Table initiative,” said Brad Keywell, Groupon board member and co-founder. “Getting people to band together around our local community has always been at Groupon's core and holding these conversations over dinner at a local restaurant makes perfect sense."

“The Trust has been inspired by thousands of Chicagoans who have shown interest in hosting and attending the On the Table mealtime conversations to promote meaningful discussion about the collective future of our communities,” said Terry Mazany, president and CEO of The Chicago Community Trust. “We are thrilled to work with Groupon and the Social Enterprise Alliance to bring even more voices to the table.”

"Our partnership with Groupon is a shining example of how diverse business models can come together to create meaningful social impact,” said Stephanie Piccirilli Wernet, director, SEA-Chicago Board. “Working together allows us to touch, move and inspire our communities on a larger scale – building more bridges and producing more change-making ideas."

Following the event, On the Table participants will receive a simple email survey to share insights about their participation in this project, the interesting ideas they discussed and how this experience may influence their civic engagement moving forward.

To reserve a spot at an On the Table community table on May 12, search “#OnTheTable2014” on www.groupon.com. To learn more about The Chicago Community Trust and On the Table, visit www.onthetable2014.com.

About Groupon

Groupon (NASDAQ: GRPN) is a global leader of local commerce and the place you start when you want to buy just about anything, anytime, anywhere. By leveraging the company’s global relationships and scale, Groupon offers consumers a vast marketplace of unbeatable deals all over the world. Shoppers discover the best a city has to offer on the web or on mobile with Groupon Local, enjoy vacations with Groupon Getaways, and find a curated selection of electronics, fashion, home furnishings and more with Groupon Goods.

Groupon is redefining how traditional small businesses attract, retain and interact with customers by providing merchants with a suite of products and services, including customizable deal campaigns, credit card payment processing capabilities, and point-of-sale solutions that help businesses grow and operate more effectively. To search for great deals or subscribe to Groupon emails, visit www.Groupon.com. To download Groupon's five-star mobile apps, visit www.groupon.com/mobile. To learn more about the company’s merchant solutions and how to work with Groupon, visit www.GrouponWorks.com.

About The Chicago Community Trust

The Chicago Community Trust, our region’s community foundation, partners with donors to leverage their philanthropy in ways that transform lives and communities. The Trust, together with its donors, granted more than $161 million in 2013 to nonprofits working to develop new audiences to sustain the region’s vibrant arts organizations, protect the human services safety net for those hardest hit by the recession, stem the devastating effects of foreclosures on our neighborhoods, elevate teaching to meet world-class standards and improve conditions for healthy and active lifestyles. By connecting the generosity of donors with the needs of the community, the Trust ensures that our region thrives today and for future generations.

About Social Enterprise Alliance- Chicago

Social Enterprise Alliance, Chicago Chapter (SEA-Chicago) is a membership organization that empowers its for-profit and non-profit members to scale their impact through opportunities of Education, Inspiration, Access and Connection. SEA-Chicago advances the practice of social enterprise throughout the State of Illinois and in the surrounding states of Wisconsin, Iowa, Missouri, Indiana and Michigan. Our membership is comprised of entrepreneurs and leaders of social-purpose businesses, professionals from academia, business consulting, the legal field, social capital investors, philanthropists, public policy wonks and others who support the use of market-based strategies to advance social change.