8th Annual Empty Bowls Event

The 8^th Annual Empty Bowls^TM Fundraising Event A HUGE Success! 

Raising Funds for the Fresh Food Partnership and Helping to Fight Hunger Throughout the Grand Traverse Region.

Sunday, April 18^th 2010

      11am to 2pm

The Hagerty Center

      Traverse City

The Empty Bowls^TM Event engaged 700 people from throughout the area in an energetic and delicious community gathering to support the Fresh Food Partnership. Everyone joined in a simple, delicious meal of soups, breads and beverages provided by dozens of local restaurants and vendors. We enjoyed each others' company and were entertained by the joyous music of TC Celtic and Cabin Fever. Over 650 hand-crafted bowls were donated by artists and students from across our region to give evyerone a reminder of all the empty bowls in the world.

Why was this event so successful? Because this event encompassed the spirit of community cooperation, generosity and giving.  Over 30 of our region's finest restaurants, bakeries, and beverage producers generously donated the delicious soups, breads and beverages. Artists and students donated their gifts and talents. Musicians donated their talent as well.  Over 70 volunteers gave their enthusiasm and hard work to make the event run smoothly. Perhaps most important, hundreds of people joined the fun and made contributions to the Fresh Food Partnership. Thanks to all of the generous donations, the gifts of our special event and table sponsors, and the proceeds of a silent auction, the event raised over $16,500.

Proceeds raised from this event are "put to work" by the Fresh Food Partnership, a coaliton of nonprofit organizations and volunteers working to buy and distribute locally grown fruits and vegetables from area farmers to local food pantries for people in need, thereby fighting hunger while supporting local agriculture and reinvesting dollars into the local economy.

About the national Empty Bowls^TM program: Empty Bowls^TM  is an internationally recognized program available for individual communities to sponsor in an effort to raise hunger awareness and to help feed the hungry within their own community. The fundraising concept has a second mission as well, to advocate for arts education and involve students in community service. The Empty Bowls^TM concept was created by an artist/teacher in Bloomfield Hills in 1990 to give artists a way to make a difference in their community. Learn more at http://www.emptybowls.org

For more information, please contact the Fresh Food Partnership at coordinator@freshfoodpartnership.org