SPRINGFIELD – Organizers of the fourth annual Empty Bowls event hope to raise $10,000 this year to continue services to food insecure residents of Logan County while adding new programs to combat child hunger in the community.
Hosted by Ohio Hi Point Career Center, the Empty Bowls offers patrons a hand-crafted bowl, made by Bellefontaine High School art students, and a simple meal of soup and bread for $15 donation per person. This year the event will take place May 4, 2017, from 5 to 7 p.m.
Empty Bowls is organized through the efforts of a steering committee composed of Ohio Hi-Point Career Center Business Operations Coordinator, Don Juanzemis, Ohio Hi-Point Career Center Communications Coordinator, Adam Grillot, Bellefontaine High School Art Teacher, Sandy Winter, Logan Acres Director of Campus Marketing, Laura Haverkos, Don M. and Margaret Hilliker, YMCA Director of Philanthropy, Gwyn Stetler and Second Harvest Food Bank staff.
Soups and breads are donated by local restaurants. Proceeds benefit the Second Harvest Food Bank of Logan County Mobile Pantry and its local member agency food pantries, soup kitchens and shelters.
Soup Donors committed to date this year include Bob Evans Farms, Green Hills Community, Middleburg United Methodist Church, The Flying Pepper Food Truck, The Marketplace Cafe, Ohio Hi-Point Culinary Arts Students, Union Station Cafe and Brewfontaine Restuarant in Bellefontaine. Ceramic bowls are donated by various area ceramic artists including locals from The Cracked Pot Studio.
It is estimated that 14 percent of Logan County resident are food insecure. Food insecurity refers USDA’s measure of lack of access, at times, to enough food for an active, healthy life for all household members and limited or uncertain availability of nutritionally adequate foods. Food insecure households are not necessarily food insecure all the time. Food insecurity may reflect a household’s need to make trade-offs between important basic needs, such as housing or medical bills and purchasing nutritionally adequate foods.
