Open the door as a Table Host
Together, we can fill the Portland Ballroom of the Oregon Convention Center on Wednesday, April 22!
Table hosts play a critical role in helping us meet our HopeBuilder goals by inviting guests to experience the mission firsthand. During the program, attendees will be invited to support Habitat’s work through a voluntary financial contribution.
Your invitation:
- Opens the door to learning.
- Opens the door to community connection.
- Opens the door to making a difference with Habitat!
Hosting a table is fun and easy.
Simply commit to inviting and confirming nine guests to join you, filling one table of 10. Habitat staff will provide everything you need to feel confident and prepared.
Table hosting FAQ
Table hosts play a key role in the success of HopeBuilder. Guests are most likely to attend when they are personally invited by someone they know and trust.
Your genuine connection to Habitat’s mission helps bring new people into the room to learn, engage, and support affordable homeownership across our region.
With your partnership, our goals for the 2026 HopeBuilder Lunch are:
- Fill the Portland Ballroom with 100 tables, bringing 1,000 people together.
- Raise $500,000 to support Habitat’s essential programs. There will be a matching gift opportunity exclusively for attendees.
This year we are using a platform called BetterUnite to invite guests and manage registration. Click the button below for detailed instructions.
Not sure who to invite? → Jump to the toolkit for tips to Build your guest list.
You are not expected to do this alone! In the toolkit below, you’ll find sample emails, a digital postcard, talking points, and other materials to help you invite guests with confidence.
Our team will provide regular updates and tips to support your success along the way. We will also help track your table and send reminders if seats are still open.
Habitat staff and board partners are here to support you as well. If you would like to connect with an experienced host for guidance, we can help arrange that. Just reach out using the button below and ask to be matched with a mentor.
If you are unable to attend the HopeBuilder Lunch but would still like to host a table, Habitat staff can greet and host your guests. Please contact Event Program Manager Jennifer Guillen using the button below.
That’s fantastic! If you would like to fill a second table, we can work with you to designate a Table Captain to host alongside you. This could be a spouse, partner, or friend.
Or your additional guests can be seated at another table. We will do our best to place them close to you whenever possible.
Your Table Host toolkit
Here are some tips to help make it easier to invite guests.
Tip 1: Start with people you already talk to.
Check the last few people you texted. If they live locally and you feel comfortable with them, invite them first. It’s an easy way to build momentum.
Tip 2: Think about groups you’re part of.
Sports teams, faith communities, professional networks, or social circles — consider someone you’d enjoy spending time with in a different setting. You can share our digital postcard in a private LinkedIn or Facebook group if it feels appropriate.
Tip 3: Encourage others to host.
If you’ve attended HopeBuilder before (remember when it was a breakfast?), this could be the year a friend hosts their own table. Send them the link to this page so they can learn more.
Wednesday, February 18
Online registration opens.
Friday, April 10
All guest names, emails and meal selections are due.
Monday, April 20
Final deadline for guest list changes. Name tags go to print at 10 am.
Wednesday, April 22
HopeBuilder Lunch
Check-in begins at 11 am
Program 12-1 pm
Table Hosts simply check in with their guests, enjoy the lunch together, and help create a welcoming experience.
Feel free to use this in your emails or post it on social media. Simply click the button below to go to a fullscreen image, then right click to “Save Image As…” or use the download icon in your navigation bar.
Many hosts start with a quick conversation or a phone call, then follow up with an email. That personal touch makes a big difference.
Use what feels natural to you. These are just conversation starters.
In-Person or Phone
- “I’m hosting a table at an event that means a lot to me. I would love for you to join me.”
- “There is an inspiring lunch coming up that I think you would really enjoy. Can I save you a seat at my table?”
- “I’m hosting a table at Habitat for Humanity’s HopeBuilder Lunch. It highlights local families building stability through affordable homeownership. It is just an hour over lunch, but it is powerful.”
About the fundraising ask
HopeBuilder Lunch is complimentary to attend. During the program, guests are invited to make a financial contribution in support of Habitat’s work. Giving is completely voluntary.
Being transparent simply helps guests feel prepared. Often, the most meaningful invitation is sharing why Habitat matters to you.
If you would like guidance on how to talk about giving, our Gift Officers are available to support you and your guests.
Sample email
Hi [Name],
I’d love for you to join me at the 2026 HopeBuilder Lunch on Wednesday, April 22, supporting Habitat for Humanity Portland Region. It’s held at the Oregon Convention Center from 12-1 pm, with coffee and check-in starting at 11 am.
You’ll hear inspiring stories and learn how Habitat partners with our community to create affordable homeownership opportunities across the Portland region. There will also be an opportunity during the program to support Habitat’s mission, though there’s no obligation to give.
This cause matters to me because [your personal reason], and I’d love to share this experience with you.
Warmly,
[Your Name]
We will be posting regularly about the HopeBuilder Lunch. Sharing or commenting on these posts is an easy way to spread the word.
Find us on social:
Facebook: fb.com/habitatportland
Instagram: @habitatportlandregion
LinkedIn: Habitat for Humanity Portland Region
Content links
We will continue to update here, so check back for new content!
Jennie’s journey to homeownership with Habitat – YouTube video
Kids share excitement for their new home – YouTube video
A safe home, a fresh start: Ellen’s journey with Habitat – YouTube video
Sample posts:
Please tag us if you create your own posts, before or after the HopeBuilder Lunch. This helps us see and celebrate your support.
Registration announcement:
(Best for LinkedIn; include event link in a comment.)
This year, I said yes to hosting a table at Habitat for Humanity Portland Region’s HopeBuilder Lunch.
For me, it’s about opening the door — helping people I know learn about Habitat’s impact and how affordable homeownership strengthens our entire community.
If this is a cause you care about too, I’d love to invite you to join me on April 22.
Sharing a HopeBuilder memory:
(Great for Facebook or LinkedIn with the YouTube link from above.)
HopeBuilder Lunch is one of my favorite ways to support Habitat for Humanity Portland Region.
Last year I was very moved by Habitat homeowner Ellen, who spoke about how a safe, stable home has changed life for her and her sons.
If you’d like to know more about the event I’m happy to share more.
Sharing a Habitat experience:
(Especially strong on Instagram.)
One of the reasons I support Habitat for Humanity Portland Region is the way volunteers, staff, and homeowners come together to build real solutions to the housing shortage in our local area.
This spring, I’m hosting a table at the HopeBuilder Lunch and inviting others to learn more about this work. It’s a short, meaningful way to get connected and I’d love to have you join me.
These are simply facts you can reference if guests ask questions or want to learn more. You do not need to memorize anything.
Habitat’s impact – at a glance
- Habitat for Humanity Portland Region serves families across the Portland metro area, helping them achieve stable and affordable homeownership.
- Habitat homebuyers have the opportunity to build their own homes and purchase them with an affordable mortgage.
- Our model allows Habitat homeowners to build equity in their homes, while ensuring that the home remains affordable to the next buyer.
- Rising housing costs in our region continue to push homeownership out of reach for many working families and individuals.
- In addition to building new homes, Habitat Portland Region provides critical home repair and preservation services that help people stay safely housed.
- Habitat builds community through volunteerism, bringing together individuals, businesses, and faith and civic groups.
- Stable housing leads to better health outcomes, educational success, and financial stability.
More about Habitat for Humanity Portland Region:
Habitat for Humanity Portland Region’s mission is to bring people together to build homes, communities, and hope.
The 2026 HopeBuilder Lunch highlights the local impact of Habitat’s work and the collective role we all play in addressing the affordable housing shortage in our community.
Your guests can expect to leave inspired, informed, and motivated to help build a region where everyone has a safe, affordable place to call home.
After the HopeBuilder Lunch, Habitat staff will partner with table hosts to follow up with guests interested in volunteering or learning more.
We contact your guests to thank them for attending. We will also share future opportunities to engage with Habitat, including site celebrations, Frame a Future, and community build days.
Some of our experienced hosts like to set a calendar reminder to follow up with their guests, too. Here’s what one likes to say:
- “Thank you for being at HopeBuilder, it means everything to me as a supporter. I don’t know if you donated or not, and there’s no obligation. But if you feel moved like I have in the past…”
- “Can I get you on a build site this summer? I’m putting together a couple of teams…”
Of course, if you aren’t organizing a Group volunteer day, you could share our volunteer page with your guests who want to get involved.
Following up on giving interest
If one of your guests expresses interest in giving or learning more about supporting Habitat financially, our team is here to help.
You are welcome to make an introduction to a Gift Officer, or let us know and we will follow up directly. We are happy to continue the conversation so you do not have to manage fundraising discussions on your own.
Questions?
Contact Jennifer Guillen, Event Program Manager:
Jennifer.Guillen@habitatportlandregion.org
Let’s open the door – for our community, for our guests, and for the mission we care so deeply about.
