Published: March 24, 2008 08:32 am            

‘Empty Bowls’ to be filled

On Friday, volunteers will be filling empty bowls at First Baptist Church on the Eastern Bypass at both lunch and dinner.

For a donation of $10, diners will receive bread, a drink and soup in a pottery bowl that they get to keep. In addition, they will be helping put food of the tables of families in need.

Lunch will be served from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., and dinner will be served from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m.

The annual “Empty Bowls” fundraiser helps support four local food banks — the Salvation Army, God’s Pantry Community Outreach, Kentucky River Foothills and Home Meals Delivery.

“All of the money collected from the Empty Bowls project goes to help feed the hungry in our county,” said Diana Ackerman of the organizing committee.

“Last year we raised over $8,000,” she said. “We hope to raise much more this year because the agencies we support tell us that needs have increased.”

Sponsored by local churches, this multi-denominational project was started 11 years ago to fight hunger in Madison County. Last year was the first time both midday and evening meals were served.

The soup is prepared by volunteers, and many of the ingredients are donated. Pastors of sponsoring churches take the lead in ladling out the soup. The bowls are made and donated by Eastern Kentucky University arts students and other local artisans.

“Community support, such as the Empty Bowls project is essential to our mission,” said Syble Miller of Home Meals Delivery. “So many of the people we serve cannot afford to pay any of the cost of their meals.”

To volunteer, make a donation or obtain more information, call Richard Landers at First Baptist Church at 623-4028, Ext. 205.

Bill Robinson can be reached at brobinson@richmondregister.com or at 623-1669, Ext. 267.

        

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