That annoying grumbling in the pit of our stomachs when dinner is still an hour away is the closest most of us ever come to going hungry. Sadly that is not the case with many in our community.
Food insecurity on a local level is one of the reasons Good Samaritan Ministries’ programs like the food pantry and the Backpacks for Kids exist. The food staples some receive from the food pantry help see them through a time when their cupboards are actually bare. In the Backpacks for Kids program, chronically hungry children are provided with backpacks full of enough food to carry them and any younger siblings through a weekend when food is scarce at home.
No one likes to think that there are children in our schools who, when they leave on Friday afternoon, may not have sufficient food until they return to school on Monday mornings.
“We can spend time discussing all of the reasons why this happens or whose fault it is, but the fact remains that there are people in our community—the children who go to school with our kids—who go to bed hungry at night,” said Misty Bowers, Public Relations Director of GSM. “We are seeing increasing numbers in the people who need help with food and are now providing backpacks with food to 117 students on eight campuses.”
On Thursday, March 31, from 11am-7pm, the Good Samaritan Ministries will host its second Empty Bowls Event at the Depot in Brownwood. The purpose of Empty Bowls is to bring awareness to the plight of hunger on both a global and local level. During the come and go event, for a suggested donation of $10, diners enjoy a simple meal of soup served in a hand-painted bowl, bread and water. After they eat, the diner is encouraged to take the empty bowl home to serve as a reminder that there are too many who have empty bowls and empty stomachs.
The message of Empty Bowls is: Live simply so others may simply live. If no other purpose is served from the meal than the fact that someone recognizes that hunger is not just rampant in third world countries, but affects lives in our country, our state and our community, then it has done its job.
The Empty Bowls Event will be held all day so diners may stop by during a lunch break or make plans to come for dinner after work. There will be live music all day, and a silent auction will be held as well.
GSM is working hand in hand with Howard Payne University to bring the event to fruition.
“We are so thankful for the faculty, staff and students of Howard Payne who are already doing so much behind the scenes to make this year’s event a huge success,” said Bowers.
In addition to the efforts of HPU, local school districts have become involved as well. Art students from Brownwood, Early and Bangs are painting bowls for the event, and elementary students will be designing placemats for the diners.
“It is really such a humbling thing to realize that we have friends and neighbors, classmates and co-workers in Brown County who deal with hunger,” said Bowers. “All the donations raised through the Empty Bowls event will go back into the Food Pantry to help those who live with that reality.”
GSM saw record highs in December with 1,262 families who came through the front doors needing help with groceries. During the holidays, the numbers are expected to increase, but even in January of 2011, just more than 1,000 families needed assistance with groceries. That was almost 200 more families than at that same time last year.
The Backpacks for Kids program during December provided backpacks filled with food to 79 students. In January, that number jumped to 117 students on eight campuses.
Anyone who would like more information about the Empty Bowls event, would like to donate ceramic bowls, give to the silent auction or find out more about GSM, may call 325-643-2273.
To view pictures of last year’s first Empty Bowls event which raised over $5800, click here.
