ALTON - Community members are invited to Alton Beloved Community People's Fair: A Survival Revival, an event that will provide resources, meals, a survival simulation, music, and more.
From 12–8:30 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 7, 2026, at Deliverance Temple (1125 E. Sixth Street in Alton), the community can join a movement that aims to combine mutual care with storytelling and connection.
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There will be a variety of resources for unhoused community members and those living in low-income situations. From 12–3 p.m., the People’s Resource Fair invites you to engage with resources ranging from housing and food assistance to employment and support services for veterans and seniors.
A community dialogue follows from 3–5 p.m., where all in attendance are invited to talk about belonging in Alton. A survival simulation is available for those who want to participate to encourage more awareness and understanding towards those struggling to survive in our society; you can sign up here.
All of Alton is invited for a community meal from 5:30–7 p.m. Bring a dish or just yourself and enjoy a meal with your neighbors. You will always have a seat at the table (literally!). Sign up here to host a shared meal and help build the longest table in the city.
The evening program starts at 7 p.m., featuring a local documentary about homelessness and additional singing and storytelling experiences.
“We want to build community and relationships beyond our individual silos,” said Kyle Armentrout-Steward, one of the organizers. “It’s easy to feel disconnected, but we’re all Alton.”
The Alton Beloved Community People's Fair: A Survival Revival is a collaboration with, The Kairos Center for Religions, Rights, and Social Justice, and a growing network of community-based organizations across the country. It is inspired by the belief that caring for one another strengthens the entire community. By bringing together neighbors, faith communities, artists, and local leaders in one shared space, the event seeks to create opportunities for conversation, collaboration, and lasting relationships.
As a pastor, a question Armentrout-Steward often asks is, “How can we hold the privilege of caring for others’ spirits if we are not also engaged in the struggles of daily living with our neighbors?’’ Armentrout-Steward said, “It’s our goal to start conversations so people can get the support they need and we can help each other thrive in community.”
These conversations also aim to highlight harmful stereotypes, unjust laws and punitive policies aimed at those in poverty, like the camping bans that have spread to municipalities across the state.
For more information about the Alton Beloved Community People's Fair: A Survival Revival, and volunteer opportunities or registration, visit the official Facebook page. This event is one step in a process that aims to encourage connection, conversation and healing throughout Alton.
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