18th annual Empty Bowls fundraiser held in Bend

Hundreds of Central Oregonians came together at Central Oregon Community College in Bend on Sunday for the 18th annual Empty Bowls event. The event’s purpose is to raise awareness about hunger and food insecurity.

Organizations and groups from the community provided food and entertainment for guests. Cascade Culinary Institute students, the Village Baker, Bleu Bite Catering and students from Mountain View High School all contributed food for the gathering.

In addition to sharing meals and enjoying live music, guests received handcrafted bowls made by local potters to signify how many people around the world and in Central Oregon live without food each day.

“Anyone in the nonprofit business knows events take a lot of work, but we do them for a reason,” said Suzette Chapman, NeighborImpact’s director of development. “We can do what we do, but we can’t do it without help. That’s where these wonderful, good-hearted people of Central Oregon come in.”

Funds raised from the event go to NeighborImpact and its Emergency Food Assistance program, which provides food for more than 22,000 people each month. Chapman said the organization distributes at least 3 million pounds of food each year.

The event was a joint effort between First Interstate Bank, Lonza Pharma & Biotech and NeighborImpact, a 21 Cares for Kids partner.

More information: https://www.neighborimpact.org/give-help/fundraising-events/empty-bowls/