EMPTY BOWLS SOUP SUPPER IN CEDAR KEY
January 6, 2019
The annual Empty Bowls Soup Supper will be held Wednesday, February 5, 2020, from 3:30-6:30 at the Cedar Key Community Center. Attendees enjoy a warm bowl of soup and dessert in exchange for a donation to the Cedar Key Food Pantry. This event is a major fundraiser for the pantry.
The Empty Bowls Project is an international event that had its beginnings in a school 30 years ago. Two artists, one a high school ceramics teacher, came up with a creative idea for students to raise funds to fight hunger. Guests at a fund-raising event were served a simple meal of soup and bread and invited to keep student- created bowls as a lasting reminder of hunger - that there are always empty bowls in the world.
Our local Empty Bowls supper has been a success because people consistently dig deep into their pockets and generously donate to this cause. The homemade soups and desserts donated by volunteers in our community are delicious. Over the years, Amy Gernhardt has donated hundreds of bowls to this event, and other potters are now donating their time and expertise to create beautiful bowls offered to diners. The artists and attendees at our “soup-er” supper all share the Empty Bowls’ mission of raising dollars to help end hunger by contributing to our community’s food pantry.
In Levy County the Cedar Key Food Pantry offers nutritious food to community members who meet federally established income qualifications. Each Wednesday from 1:00-4:30 the working poor, the elderly living on a fixed income, grandparents raising grandchildren, and disabled veterans come to the pantry for food. More than 400 people in our community have qualified as recipients, including more than 100 children. The number of elderly coming to the pantry has increased from 25 to 42, almost a 70% increase in number. The USDA supplies some of the food, and the Cedar Key Lions Club ensures that there is milk for all who come to the pantry, but additional food such as vegetables and meat have to be purchased from the Bread of the Mighty in Gainesville. This year the need for funds is even greater. The Cedar Key Food Pantry, a standing-on-its-own non-profit, will have increased operating costs at its new location including utilities, garbage collection and insurance. The money raised through Empty Bowls helps to financially support the pantry that serves the needs of the Cedar Key community.
We hope that you can find it in your heart to help end hunger in Cedar Key by coming together at our community’s Empty Bowls soup supper.
If you are interested in volunteering or have questions, please contact Joan Selby at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
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