One way Wittenberg is helping to combat hunger in its hometown is through its annual Empty Bowls fundraiser.
This year’s event will take place from 4:30 to 7 p.m. Thursday, March 22, in the Center Dining Room (CDR), located on the second floor of the University's Benham-Pence Student Center. Empty Bowls exemplifies Wittenberg’s service-based mission, which encourages all students to discern their vocations and to understand the meaningful connection between self-fulfillment and service to the world.
Wittenberg’s Department of Art in conjunction with Catholic Charities hosts the Empty Bowls fundraiser, proceeds from which support Second Harvest Food Bank in Springfield. This year’s event, the 24th annual, is organized through the efforts of a steering committee, which includes Scott Dooley, professor of art at Wittenberg; student coordinator Brigid Morgan, class of 2018, from Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla.; Terry Litwiller, Mary Alice Neely, Katie Wade, and the staff at Second Harvest Food Bank. Hannah Fournier, class of 2014 from Dayton, Ohio, and Crispin Prebys, associate professor of art, designed the promotional posters for the event. T-shirts, designed by Fournier, will be available for purchase, and an artwork raffle is on the schedule, too.
Soups and breads are donated by local restaurants and proceeds benefit the Second Harvest Food Bank of Clark, Champaign and Logan Counties.
“Wittenberg has been running its version of Empty Bowls for 23 years and the event has been a great success, raising more than $450,000, which equates to 1,877,517 meals for Catholic Charities Second Harvest Food Bank,” Dooley said. “This is truly a community event that brings many people from Springfield to campus and is a major fundraising event for the Second Harvest Food Bank. Come join us and help fight food insecurity. We have sold out of bowls in the past, so if you want the best selection and the assurance that you will get a bowl, plan to come early. If we sell out of bowls again this year, we will still offer dinner to patrons at a reduced cost. I am proud to say that we have been able to grow this project through the tough economic climate of the last decade.”
Cost of a bowl is $15 per person and guarantees a handcrafted bowl and dinner, which includes a selection of soup and bread. Every dollar raised provides five meals to hungry families in our community. The purchase of one bowl will provide 75 meals.
After being washed by a volunteer, each bowl can be taken home, serving as a reminder that every night someone’s bowl is empty and that many people go hungry each day across the country.
The goal for this year’s event is to raise $50,000 - a mark set after last year’s event tallied more than $42,400.
Wittenberg ceramics students, faculty, staff and a few community members make the handcrafted ceramic bowls used at the event. Empty Bowls' "Throwing Days" take place throughout the year as bowls are thrown, glazed and fired. In total, more than 1,000 bowls are created for the fundraising event.
This event would not be possible without support from event sponsors. Among this year’s soup sponsors are Bob Evans, Coppertop Restaurant, Seasons Bistro & Grille, Los Mariachis, Linardos Villa, Mela Urban Bistro, the Jaguar Room, Parkhurst Dining, and Olive Garden. Dominos, O’Charley’s and Texas Road House will be providing the bread.
Major donors for the 2018 Empty Bowls fundraiser include Northside Veterinary Clinic, LLC.; Columbia Gas; Dr. Rob Baker and Dr. Mary Jo Groves; Donald Johnson; Speedway LLC.; Assurant Specialty Property; Heidelberg Distributing Co.; Honda of America; Madison Avenue Pharmacy; Wallace & Turner Inc.; Steve and Mary Alice Neely; Bethel Evangelical Lutheran Church; Community Health Foundation, Fluid Quip Inc., Betsy and James Dean; Dulce and Mitchell Hurst; Rick Nedelman; Home City Federal Savings Bank; Lee's Famous Recipe Chicken; State Rep. Kyle Koehler; Rollins Moving & Storage Inc.; Parkhurst Dining; and Wittenberg University Student Senate’s Build A Better Wittenberg.
“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 of Second Harvest Food Bank.
As the only food bank in Clark, Champaign and Logan Counties, Second Harvest Food Bank distributes more than six million pounds of food annually, with over four million pounds going directly to Clark 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 is a member of Feeding America and the Ohio Association of Foodbanks and 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. Rainbow Table 1 soup kitchen will share any leftover food items from the event the next day.
For information or to become a sponsor of this year’s Empty Bowls event, please contact either Dooley at sdooley@wittenberg.edu or Jackson at (937) 325-8715 ext. 112 or tjackson@ccswoh.org. Sponsorships begin at the $100 level and, depending on the level of sponsorship, include several bowls and mention in press releases and event signage.
Free parking is available in the lots behind Krieg Hall and the Benham-Pence Student Center, which both have entrances off West Ward Street.
About Second Harvest
Second Harvest Food Bank of Clark, Champaign and Logan Counties, a program of Catholic Charities of Southwestern Ohio and member of Feeding America, serves the tri-county community by sourcing, collecting, storing and distributing over 6 million pounds of food to 65 non-profit member agencies who feed the hungry directly. Second Harvest is focused on bringing healthy, nutritious food to those in our communities struggling with hunger through innovative programs such as senior food initiatives and mobile pantry distributions.
About Catholic Charities of Southwestern Ohio
Catholic Charities Southwestern Ohio has served the most vulnerable in our community for nearly 100 years. Our programs serve the poor, protect the vulnerable and welcome the stranger regardless of their religious background or country of origin. Our mission to enlighten, serve and empower is enabled by the generosity of donors and volunteers. Together, we serve and bring hope to more than 82,000 people each year. Visit www.ccswoh.org to learn more.
