Placemates Announces Second Event

North Liberty residents are invited to meet new people over good food and good conversation through Placemates.

Placemates matches residents of the 52317 for potluck dinners held concurrently in homes throughout North Liberty. After a successful pilot event in June that matched more than 65 households across 13 potlucks, the second Placemates event will take place Sunday, Nov. 3, from 5 to 7 p.m.

“We wanted to create a program to preserve the small-town feel in our growing community,” said Jillian Miller, the city’s community engagement coordinator. “Sharing a meal has been a way to connect with others since the beginning of time.”

Placemates collects information from interested residents through an online questionnaire. The brief survey asks if a participant wants to host or attend a potluck, some basic information about who in their family will be participating, a brief bio and a few other basic prompts. Residents are then matched based on their responses and introduced via email.

The gatherings are encouraged to be casual, and Miller hopes the program will extend the personal and professional networks of participants. “Maybe you’re a young family looking for friends with kids the same age, a single person who just moved to the area, or a senior who would enjoy visiting with new people. Even if you already have an established group of friends, I think everyone can benefit from meeting those outside of their usual social circle.”

Past participants have enjoyed with the program.

“Meeting people in real life can be hard,” said Jared Ruth, a North Liberty resident. “Placemates served as a great way to connect with other families in our community and removed the awkwardness of setting up the first date. At the potluck, we met some really great people and our kids are already asking when the next party is.”

The theme of the second Placemates event is favorite fall dish. Hosts will provide the entree and guests will share a side dish that is a staple in their households during the fall season.

Registration is open through Oct. 13. Matches will be introduced via email the week of Oct. 21 in advance of the Nov. 3 meetup. Outside of preparing a dish to share, there is no cost to participate.

Interested? Sign up through the link below and join the Facebook event.