Latest news with #EmptyBowls
CTV News
28-05-2025
- Business
- CTV News
Filling bowls and stomachs at special event in Waterloo
An empty bowl was cleaned during the Empty Bowls event at Wilfrid Laurier University in Waterloo, Ont. on May 28, 2025. (Spencer Turcotte/CTV News) The Empty Bowls event returned to Wilfrid Laurier University on Wednesday. Its goal is to make it easier to fill plates and stomachs for those who are food insecure in Waterloo Region. Money raised from the event goes to the Food Bank of Waterloo Region, which then gets passed on to people who need it. More than 600 attendees paid $50, which gets them a gourmet soup or meal prepared by local chefs. It is then eaten from a handcrafted bowl, which attendees get to keep, made by artisans from the Waterloo Potters' Workshop. 'I teach here, but secondly, we used to come to this quite often,' attendee Keith Masterman said. 'It's such an amazing event and it's for such a great cause. Those three reasons are kind of like hitting home runs there.' Angela Trimarchi was another attendee of the 27th annual Empty Bowls event, who said she was thrilled to be a part of it. 'It sounded like an interesting event, and I like to support a local cause,' said Trimarchi. Empty Bowls 2025 Food Bank of Waterloo Region Angela Trimarchi held a bowl at the Empty Bowls event at Wilfrid Laurier University in Waterloo, Ont. on May 28, 2025. (Spencer Turcotte/CTV News) Since 1998, Empty Bowls has provided over 1.5 million meals for people in need. For every ticket sold this year, The Food Bank of Waterloo Region can provide 100 healthy meals. 'I think mostly what we'd like to do is raise people's awareness around things like food insecurity,' said Scott Gillies, who helped host the event on behalf of WLU. The event far surpassed its $25,000 fundraising goal and hit nearly $30,000. 'The statistics show that 1 in 8 households in Waterloo Region experience food scarcity,' Rebecca Hempey, The Food Bank of Waterloo Region COO, said. 'We've seen in the past year a 25 per cent increase in that need,' So seeing a sold out crowd gives organizers and the food bank a full feeling in a different way. 'Food scarcity is something that needs to be continually brought forth in the community,' said Hempey. 'These types of events show us that this community cares. It's incredible.'
Yahoo
18-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Henderson Co. community meal event helps children, supports artists
FLAT ROCK, N.C. (WSPA) — A community meal event happening Sunday in Flat Rock is helping fight childhood hunger, all while supporting local ceramicists. For eight years, the Empty Bowls community meal at the Episcopal Church of St. John in the Wilderness has helped benefit the Flat Rock Backpack Program. The nonprofit program got its start in 2008, when the church learned that Henderson County schoolchildren were going without food during the weekends. The church partnered with MANNA FoodBank in Asheville to get the program rolling. Program coordinator, Debby Staton, said Hurricane Helene has had a lasting impact on the program. 'Hurricane Helene dealt a major blow to our area,' she said. 'All of our support system—the potters, food vendors, and sponsors—were all impacted, as was MANNA FoodBank, our main source of food for the Flat Rock Backpack Program.' The program, church leaders said, helps feed more than 150 children across eight Henderson County schools each week. 'Needless to say, the students we serve were also affected,' Staton continued. 'We are deeply appreciative of our community who keep us on their radar, always willing to pitch in as we continue meeting the needs of those who are 'food insecure.'' Each meal ticket comes a handmade bowl created by local potters, soups and breads donated by nearby restaurants and cookies made by church members. Two mealtimes are scheduled for Sunday's event: the first from 12 p.m. to 2 p.m. and the second from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. Takeaway, organizers said, is also an option. Tickets are $30 per person or $50 for a family of two adults and children under 12 years of age. Though the ticket pre-sale closed Friday at 4 p.m., limited tickets may be available at the venue located Parish Hall at 1905 Greenville Highway, across the street from the main church building. Donations are accepted at any time, and can be mailed to Flack Rock Backpack Program c/o St. John in the Wilderness PO Box 185, Flat Rock, NC 28731. Event organizers said the expect to raise $20,000 at Sunday's event. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
01-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Fighting hunger one bowl at a time
Greater Johnstown School District students, faculty and staff and area artists shaped clay and decorated more than 500 ceramic dishes, all to help in the fight against hunger. And that's admirable. Now in its 14th year, the school's Key Club's annual Empty Bowls dinner has raised more than $50,000 for local nonprofits to address food insecurity. Attendees choose handcrafted bowls, and then receive a small meal of soup and a side of bread. The fundraiser supports the Cambria County Backpack Project, the Women's Help Center Inc. and the Society of St. Vincent de Paul. Art teacher and Key Club co-adviser Cindy Maloy told our Kelly Urban that 'we pick these three (nonprofits) because they are so instrumental in serving our families and our community and homelessness and hunger.' Empty Bowls was started by a Michigan art teacher in 1990 as a way to raise awareness of food insecurity and to allow artists and students to make a difference. Spinoff fundraisers have sprouted since, including at Greater Johnstown, with proceeds going back to the community. A new addition to this year's fundraiser was a Soup 'R Bowl event at Made in Johnstown. Twenty talented artists competed against each other – and the clock – to create 352 bowls in almost three hours with 400 pounds of clay donated by Made in Johnstown. Maloy said Empty Bowls is a project that students want to experience. She said, 'Our students have big hearts and they want to give back to the community and make an impact, and this gets them involved and shows that they can do big things.' This annual fundraiser helps our community fight hunger one bowl at a time.
Yahoo
26-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
'Empty Bowls' event supports Tarrant Area Food Bank
The Brief TAFB's "Empty Bowls" event brought together local chefs and artists to help raise money for the food bank. It happened on Friday at the Will Rogers Memorial Center. This year's event was sold out. FORT WORTH, Texas - The Tarrant Area Food Bank hosted its signature fundraising event on Friday. What we know The 23rd annual "Empty Bowls" event brought local artists and the restaurant community together to support families facing hunger. Participants had the chance to sample great food from Tarrant County's top chefs and restaurants. Beautiful pottery and unique bowls donated by local artists also helped to raise money for the food bank. "The bowls are made by local artisans and donated. Everything community members buy, including their ticket, those are proceeds that go back into feeding hungry families that live in our community," said TAFB President and CEO Julie Butner. Why you should care In recent years, TAFB has been on the front lines of distributing healthy food where the need is great. Drive-thru events serve tens of thousands of families and individuals with limited resources or who perhaps live paycheck to paycheck. "This is our biggest fundraiser of the year, and we've been doing this for at least 15 years," Butner said. What you can do This year's event on Friday at the Will Rogers Memorial Center was sold out. Donations can still be made by visiting "We're so super excited about the public support and how folks are coming out to help Tarrant Area Food Bank help the rest of the community," Butner said. The Source The information in this story comes from the Tarrant Area Food Bank and an interview with CEO Julie Butner.
Yahoo
12-04-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Canisteo-Greenwood CSD Empty Bowl event supports those in need
CANISTEO, N.Y.(WETM)— The Canisteo-Greenwood Central School District held an event to raise food and money for those in need on Friday. The Empty Bowls event took place on Friday, April 11, at the Brick House on Main in Canisteo. The event was a partnership between the CGCS art club and the Canisteo Club Scouts Pack #83. Students learn the trick of the trade during Try Trades Event in Big Flats Empty Bowls is a grassroots movement by artists and craftspeople throughout the world to feed the hungry in communities. Those who attended the event were asked to bring non-perishable food and personal hygiene items. New playground opens for families in Hornell 'It's been our goal this year in the art club to give back to the community. I figured what better way to do that than to have an event where you can donate actual food items to those who are in need, ' said Kurtis Mullen, art teacher at Canisteo Greenwood School. All of the items donated during the event will be given to the Canisteo Community Food Bank. Those who brought a donation to the event had the opportunity to choose a papier mâché bowl to take home. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
