Community Action’s Empty Bowls fundraiser fights hunger
In this file photo, Kirsti Stark of Fayette City checks out a handmade ceramic bowl, crafted by a local student for last year's Empty Bowl fundraiser at Fayette County Community Action adult recreation center. This year's event is set for 11 a.m.-3 p.m. April 8 at the adult recreation center, 127 N. Beeson Boulevard, Uniontown.
In this file photo, residents gather to enjoy soup during Fayette County Community Action Agency's Empty Bowl fundraiser.
In Fayette County, more than 20,000 people are at risk of hunger.
“They may not have access to constant adequate nutrition so they may qualify for supplemental nutrition programs,” explained Keely Forrestel, planner/grant writer for Fayette County Community Action Agency Inc. “That includes programs such as Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Women, Infants and Children (WIC) and commodity food boxes for the elderly.”
Raising awareness and continuing a fight against hunger, Community Action will hold its Fifth Annual Empty Bowls event from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday at the Adult Recreation Center, formerly known as the Uniontown Senior Center, located at 127 N. Beeson Boulevard, Uniontown.
“The event is run completely off donations from the community and all proceeds go to support the Fayette County Community Action Food Bank, which serves 49 food pantries located throughout the county,” explained a press release issued by Community Action, also noting, “For every dollar raised through the event, our Food Bank can purchase $10 in food items.”
Empty Bowls offers patrons bottomless bowls of soup, bread and a drink.
“When you come, you get to pick out a bowl handcrafted by local artisans and some local schools have also been participating in making bowls,” said Forrestel.
The schools include Albert Gallatin High School in Georges Township, Geibel Catholic Junior-Senior High School in Connellsvile, Connellsville Area Middle School, Uniontown Area High School and the Frazier School District in Perryopolis.
Bowls are also being contributed by Touchstone Center for Crafts and the Bruderhof, both in Farmington, as well as artist Stephanie McClain of Brownfield.
“You pick out a bowl. It’s yours to keep and then you can get yourself soup that’s donated by local restaurants. We have a large variety. We have more soup donated this year than ever and we’re so grateful to the local restaurants who donated as well as the restaurants that donated bread and water,” said Forrestel.
Phil Kirzyc from Pickle Radio will serve as master of ceremonies. Entertainment includes the Frazier Jazz Band and singers Sharise Johnson Moore and Rebecca Kaufman-Taylor.
There will also be a raffle with donations from local restaurants, Abby’s Gold & Gems in Uniontown, Pittsburgh Opera, Pittsburgh Zoo, Carnegie Museums of Pittsburgh and more.
Empty Bowls is modeled after an international grassroots effort to fight hunger.
Information released by Community Action explains that 25,282, or 19.32 percent, of Fayette County’s population of 130,893 live in poverty, according to data from the U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey, 2011-15. That percentage compares to 13.48 percent for Pennsylvania and 15.47 percent for the United States.
A 2013 Hunger Profile for Fayette County prepared by the Coalition Against Hunger showed 30,714 participants, or 1 in 4 residents, receive SNAP, which provides low-income residents with monthly assistance to buy food at grocery stores, farmers’ markets and small businesses.
Community Action tries to help.
The press release explains the private nonprofit community-based organization’s mission is to “strengthen individuals and families to become more self-sufficient, achieving their potential by taking advantage of opportunities, improving the conditions in which they live, and taking ownership of their community.”
Tickets for Empty Bowls are $10 in advance and $15 at the door. To purchase tickets or make a donation to the event, visit the Facebook event page www.facebook.com/EmptyBowlsFayette or contact Lora Thresher from the FCCAA Food Bank at 724-437-6050.