Matt Dildine, Fresno Mission CEO, delivers a prayer during the Young Distinguished Alumnus Award ceremony for the Pepperdine Law Alumni in 2019. Facebook photo

For the second year in a row, the Fresno Mission and its CEO Matt Dildine will participate in “Conversations on a Bench,” a 24-hour, live-streamed event featuring Dildine and 13 leaders from rescue mission organizations across the country.

It’s meant to initiate conversations, inspiration and a drive for meaningful change in communities across the country.

Last year the Fresno Mission participated in the event for the first time in front of its newly completed City Center, a one-stop shop that is home to a number of nonprofit organizations and the Valley’s first free supermarket, First Fruits Market.

This year, the event, along with the 13 other concurrent events nationwide, aim to highlight the meaningful work and collective commitment of rescue missions nationwide and the change they bring to communities across the country, according to a news release.

“‘Conversations on a Bench’ is more than just an event,” the release reads. “It is a nationwide movement celebrating shared experiences, connection and brighter future.”

The public is welcome to join the conversation by stopping by the bench in person at 2025 E. Dakota Ave., at City Center. The event will be streamed live at fresnomission.org and all 13 mission events nationwide will be streamed at conversationsonabench.org.

It started at 1 p.m. Wednesday and will run until 1 p.m. Thursday.

Additionally, the public is invited to share the word on social media using the hashtag #ConversationsOnABench, encouraging other to join the movement.

“Together, we can break down barriers, share solutions and create a community where no one is invisible,” the news release added. “Join us — on the bench or online — and help make a difference, one conversation at a time.”