Empty Bowls South Orange County Fundraiser Sells Out

LAKE FOREST, CA — South County Outreach's annual Empty Bowls fundraiser has sold out, according to the Lake Forest Chamber of Commerce. Lake Forest residents and businesses can still participate in the annual event, held Thursday, April 13, at the Segerstrom Shelby Event Center in Irvine.

The event, billed as a taste and sip to end hunger and house hope event, will feature renowned local chefs treating guests to a night of tastings and fundraising. According to the group, the goal is to provide pantry essentials to those experiencing food insecurity.

"All guests will receive an empty handmade bowl to serve as a reminder of the evening and the impact they can make," event spokesperson Lauren Ruiz wrote on the group's online invitation.

Empty Bowls is a grassroots movement by artists and craftspeople in cities and towns worldwide to raise money for food-related charities to care for and feed the hungry in their communities, according to the group's website.

"Empty Bowls supports food-related charitable organizations around the world and has raised millions of dollars to help end hunger," they said.

Though tickets are sold out for the April 13th event sponsorship opportunities remain open, according to South County Outreach. Underwriting opportunities exist for a $10,000 marketing and prin underwriter, a $10,000 decor underwriter and a $5,000 bar underwriter, according to the group.

"South County Outreach serves homeless families, the underemployed, unemployed, seniors, veterans, and other at-risk residents of Orange County," according to the group's website. "Twelve percent of Orange County residents live below the poverty line, and one in five children in OC do not have enough to eat." Its food market distributes emergency non-perishable and fresh food daily to as many as 1,500 south Orange County residents a month.

In 2023, the event will be made possible due to the support of both event and underwriting sponsors that include: Holland & Knight, Kitchen Table Marketing + PR, Northern Trust, and Southern California News Group.

"We encourage you to donate toward Empty Bowls to help end hunger in Orange County," the event sponsors said.

Learn more about how you can support Empty Bowls by visiting www.sco-oc.org/empty-bowls.