Elementary-aged students creating placemats; college, middle school, and high school students along with nursing home residents painting bowls; and local restaurants donating soup are just some of the many ways different groups that are coming together to make this year’s Empty Bowls Event a true community project. The event will be held at the Depot Civic and Cultural Center in Brownwood from 11am-7pm Thursday, March 31.
The event itself is designed to bring awareness to the plight of hunger on both a local and a global level. For a suggested $10 donation, diners will enjoy a simple meal of soup, bread, and water. The soup is donated by local restaurants and served in hand-painted ceramic bowls. At the end of the meal, participants are encouraged to take the empty bowl home to serve as a reminder of those whose bowls are empty.
The slogan for the grass roots project is “live simply so others may simply live.” And, while the purpose of the event is to raise hunger awareness in the community, the very community Good Samaritan Ministries is hoping to reach has stepped out in an extraordinary way to bring the event to fruition.
Northwest, Woodland Heights, East and Early Elementary Schools along with Coggin Fourth Grade students have created placemats.
Bowls have been painted by Early High School, Bangs High School and Brownwood Middle School art students. Students at May ISD have also painted bowls and students, faculty and staff at Howard Payne University have also participated by painting bowls. This year, even residents of Bangs Nursing Home got involved and painted bowls for the project.
Local restaurants, such as the Runaway Train, Chili’s, 4-H Center, Brownwood Country Club, Humphrey Pete’s/Skillets, and Steve’s Market and Deli are providing soup for the event, some of whom heard about the program in the local media and contacted GSM asking to be a part. Pictured above is chef and co-owner Eric Porter of the Runaway Train, who will be donating his famous clam chowder again this year.
There will also be live music provided by local talent and a silent auction with items donated by local businesses.
“It’s so exciting to see how the community has come together to bring this event to fruition,” said Angelia Bostick, Executive Director, Good Samaritan Ministries. “We could never do what we do on a daily basis without the love and support from our community. It’s always so encouraging to see that whenever we have a need, the community is right there to help.”
Howard Payne University, in addition to painting bowls, has been an integral part of the Empty Bowls Event, taking on a huge role in the organization and implementation of the project.
“It’s pretty safe to say that we couldn’t have an Empty Bowls Event without the efforts and help of Howard Payne University,” Bostick said. “They have been so good to organize volunteers, schedule music, paint bowls, gather silent auction items and so much more. They are really indispensable and we are blessed to partner with them in this project.”
All but 10 percent of the money raised at the Empty Bowls Event will remain in Brown County to fight hunger locally through such programs as the Food Pantry and Backpacks for Kids. A tithe of the total amount raised will go to a global hunger-fighting organization.
“We are looking at possibly giving the tithe from the Empty Bowls Event to an organization providing food to tsunami-ravaged Japan,” said Bostick.
For more information about the Empty Bowls Event or to learn about hunger needs in Brown County, call the GSM office at 643-2273 or visit www.goodsambwd.org.
