SPRINGFIELD –Organizers of the 3rd annual Empty Bowls event hope to raise $5,000 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 5, 2016.
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, Kelsey Webb, St. Vincent DePaul Society St. Patrick Conference President, Diane Oliver, Joyce Gordon of Daily Bread of Indian Lake, Bellefontaine High School Art Teacher, Sandy Winter, Bellefontaine Middle School Art Teacher, Melanie Antram Ingraham, Hague Water Conditioning’s Shane Seidenstricker, and Second Harvest Food Bank staff. Soups and breads are donated by local restaurants.
Proceeds benefit the Second Harvest Food Bank of Logan County and its local member agency food pantries, soup kitchens and shelters.
Soup Donors participating this year include Bob Evans Farms, Green Hills Community, Middleburg United Methodist Church, Tim Hortons Café & Bake Shop, The Whitmore House, Ohio Hi-Point Culinary Arts Students, Union Station Café and Aunt Millie’s Restaurant. Domino’s will be providing bread.
It is estimated that 14.6 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.
“Empty Bowls is a wonderful way for Second Harvest Food Bank to bring the community together. The event wouldn’t be possible without the support of local businesses, restaurants, and individuals joining together in raising awareness to end hunger. We look forward to seeing you,” said Tyra Jackson, Executive Director Second Harvest Food Bank.
As the only food bank in Clark, Champaign, and Logan Counties, Second Harvest Food Bank distributes over six million pounds of food annually, with over 610,000 pounds going directly to benefit Logan County residents. This amount of food equates to over 510,00 meals distributed to food insecure residents of Logan County. Second Harvest Food Bank’s daily operation consists of sourcing and gathering food, sorting and cataloging the food, then warehousing the inventory to be distributed to agency members throughout a three county service area.
Second Harvest Food Bank member agencies in Logan County include Buckeye Gospel Barn, Our Daily Bread, Five Loaves Food Pantry, St. Vincent DePaul Bellefontain & Russels Point, Caring Friends, United Christian Services, Give & Take, Recovery Zone Bellefontaine. These agencies along with the Second Harvest Food Bank’s Mobile Pantry and Senior Commodities Food Program serve seven thousand Logan County residents annually.
Second Harvest Food Bank is a member of Feeding America and the Ohio Association of Foodbanks. Second Harvest Food Bank is responsible for safe handling of all food products adhering to state and federal guidelines including providing member oversight to pantries, soup kitchens, and shelters.
For information or to become a sponsor of this year’s Empty Bowl’s event, please contact Rose Bradley at 937-325-8715 ext. 133 or [email protected]
