Empty Bowls event raises over $37,000
Over 870 people from all across Central Oregon enjoyed NeighborImpact’s 13th Annual Empty Bowls event Sunday at COCC — a record for the popular soup-and-bread feed. Thanks to generous sponsors and community members, Empty Bowls raised $37,127 to support NeighborImpact, a 21 Cares for Kids partner.
Empty Bowls is internationally recognized and helps raise awareness about hunger issues. Hundreds of bowls were handcrafted by local potters and community members over the summer.
Attendees who bought tickets received a bowl and chose from four delicious soups made by the Cascade Culinary Institute at COCC. The Village Baker donated bread and the cookies were made by the culinary students at Crook County High School. Everyone kept their bowl as a reminder of all the empty bowls around the world.
“This is truly a community event as 60 volunteers, including our board members, made this event possible,” said Scott Cooper, executive director for NeighborImpact. “We’re always looking for opportunities to engage the community, so Empty bowls is as much a ‘friend-raiser’ as it is a fundraiser.”
NeighborImpact manages the only regional food warehouse in Central Oregon, helping to distribute 2.6 million pounds of food every year to 40 regional partners, which feeds nearly 20,000 individuals every month. Operating the food bank costs about $375,000 annually, so Empty Bowls helps cover part of that cost.
2014 Empty Bowls Sponsors:
Columbia Bank, Beecher Carlson Insurance, Selco, Brooks Resources, Cascade Natural Gas, Bend Garbage & Recycling, Pacific Power, Cascade Culinary Institute, Crook County Culinary Students, Village Baker, Sodexo, Lava Edge, Strictly Organic, Cascade Clay Guild, John Kinder Pottery. HydroFlask, Tower Theater, 2 nd Street Theater, Chow, Brasada Ranch, Deschutes Brewery, Oxford Hotel, Gossamer Knitting, KTVZ-TV, Horizon Broadcasting, and The Bulletin.
About NeighborImpact: Since 1985, NeighborImpact has been a leader in developing solutions and bringing resources to Crook, Jefferson and Deschutes County. The agency offers a diversity of services meeting basic human needs for food and shelter, while enriching people’s lives by providing access to increased education, skills, and hope for the future. NeighborImpact is a private nonprofit organization that receives federal, state and local funding; foundation grants; and donations from individuals and businesses in our community. To learn more about NeighborImpact please visit www.neighborimpact.org.
