Empty Bowls 2013 - Racine Counthy

Mark your calendars for Empty Bowls 2013 on Monday, March 4, 2013 at the Racine Masonic Center.  Parking is limited so visitors are encouraged to carpool and should enter from 1015 Wisconsin Ave.

There will be two serving sessions, the first from 11:00 am to 2:00 pm, and from 4:00 pm till 7:00 pm.  Live music will be provided at both meals. The Empty Bowl Lunch / Dinner event is an annual fundraising project to help raise awareness about hunger and homelessness in the community. Local businesses, schools and potters donate clay bowls and local restaurants and individuals donate soups and breads.

For $15, diners at Empty Bowls select a hand-crafted bowl and enjoy soup and bread from more than 60 restaurants and bakeries in the Racine area. At the end of the meal, diners take home their empty bowl as a reminder of those who face hunger every day.

“When you see your new bowl in your cupboard at home you'll be reminded that many in our community do not dine comfortably with family or friends. They have empty bowls because of circumstances beyond their control,” event Co-Chair Heidi Fannin said. “All contributions will be used to feed someone who does not have the food security that you enjoy. We are asking attendees to bring a canned good donation and an Empty Bowl from a previous year.”

The event also serves as a gathering for volunteers from the community including Scout Troops, local businessmen, government leaders, educators and students.  “By heightening community awareness that being homeless is not just a problem in poor communities, but a growing problem everywhere, we can do more to help” stated Fannin. “Our network of volunteers demonstrates that by everyone taking a small amount of responsibility, we can strive to make a difference.” Volunteers assist with making bowls, event set up, washing bowls, and serving soup.

Gateway Technical School Culinary students volunteer as the cooks for the event, which attracted more than 1,000 attendees last year and raised more than $22,000. Local potters and artists donate bowls for the silent auction.

Community soup servers will include VIPS such as the mayor, police chief, aldermen, a state representative, principals, school officials, directors of HALO and the Food Bank, pageant winners, musicians, newspaper columnists and business executives.

Since 1997, Empty Bowls has donated more than $118,000 to hunger and homeless assistance programs in Racine. All profits raised at this event will be donated to HALO and The Racine County Food Bank 

The Empty Bowl Event, founded in 1991, is an international project created to fight hunger.  The event is held annually throughout the United States.