Engage Winona Invites Community to Celebrate the Legacy of the Winona Area Kitchen Table

You’re invited! Winona Area Kitchen Table Celebration & Film Release

Community celebration and documentary premiere to honor resident leadership and inspire continued action on housing

Engage Winona invites community members to celebrate the conclusion of the Winona Area Kitchen Table and the premiere of a new short documentary capturing its impact on Wednesday, July 22, 2026 from 5 to 7 p.m. at the Winona County Historical Society (160 Johnson Street). Formal programming begins at 5:30 p.m. Complimentary refreshments will be provided, and the event is free and open to the public.

For the past several years, the Winona Area Kitchen Table has brought together residents with lived experience of housing instability, community organizations, service providers, and local leaders to strengthen relationships, elevate community voices, and advance solutions to housing challenges in Winona.

Through honest conversations and resident-led advocacy, the Kitchen Table helped increase awareness of housing issues, build partnerships across sectors, and demonstrate the importance of including people with lived experience in shaping community solutions.

The July 22 celebration marks both the conclusion of the Kitchen Table’s grant-funded work and the premiere of a short documentary created by local filmmaker Camera Logica, highlighting the relationships, stories, and community impact that emerged from the initiative.

While the program is ending because its grant funding has concluded, organizers emphasize that the need for housing solutions remains.

“The Winona Area Kitchen Table is ending only because its grant funding is ending—not because the work is complete,” members of the Kitchen Table shared in a recent community letter. “We have started important conversations and built relationships that we hope continue long after this program ends. Now is the time to keep moving from talking about housing to taking action.”

The event will recognize the residents, volunteers, organizations, and community partners who contributed to the Kitchen Table’s success while inviting the broader community to continue building on the foundation that has been established.

“Our community is strongest when people most affected by challenges are part of creating the solutions,” said Marcia Ratliff, executive director at Engage Winona. “This celebration is an opportunity to honor what has been accomplished together, reflect on the stories that have shaped this work, and encourage continued collaboration to ensure everyone in Winona has a safe, stable place to call home.”

Event Details

What: Winona Area Kitchen Table Wrap Party & Documentary Film Screening
When: Wednesday, July 22, 5:00–7:00 p.m. (program begins at 5:30 p.m.)
Where: Winona County Historical Society, 160 Johnson Street, Winona
Cost: Free and open to the public. Complimentary refreshments provided.

About Engage Winona

Engage Winona cultivates stronger communities by creating opportunities for residents to belong, connect, and contribute. Through dialogue, leadership development, and community partnerships, Engage Winona works alongside residents to strengthen civic participation and build a more connected and resilient region.