Empty Bowls - Fundraiser for Southern Anoka Community Assistance

Struggling Families Supported by Local Businesses
Hunger Relief Event Directly Supports Hungry Families and Seniors


The ninth annual Empty Bowls fundraiser for Southern Anoka Community Assistance (SACA) is being held on two different dates and locations this year: Monday, March 7^th, 2011 at Spring Lake Park High School, 1100 81^st Avenue NE, Spring Lake Park (Enter door #29 at the northwest corner of the high school complex) and Thursday, March 24^th, 2011 at Murzyn Hall, 530 Mill Street NE, Columbia Heights. Both are held from 4:30-8:00p.m. SACA has seen a 10% increase in the distribution of food and other assistance over this past year (Jan-Dec 2009 to Jan-Dec 2010). The Empty Bowls fundraiser provides much needed resources to directly meet this need. A percentage of the money raised during this event is matched by Minnesota FoodShare. 

At the event, guests are served a simple meal of soup, bread and salad while being entertained by a variety of local performers. Everyone receives a hand crafted “empty bowl” to take home as a lasting symbol of the many who are hungry in their community. A generous tax-deductible free will offering is encouraged and 100% of donations received go directly toward the purchase of food and essential items for those in need. Entertainment includes local school musical groups, dance performances, karate demonstrations, face painting, a demonstration by professional potter Lee Persell and a silent auction.
 
Two local businesses, Dasco Label and Rapid Graphics & Mailing Inc, have teamed up to generously support this event by donating graphic design services and printing publicity materials. According to Dasco’s Holly Schultz, this was an opportunity to increase their involvement in a worthwhile community service project.  She stated, “We challenged our employees to look for ways to help local non-profit organizations with pro-bono services in order to help them achieve their mission.  This has allowed the company as a whole to see community service in a refreshing, fun and enlightening way and to create qualities of a positive experience for everyone involved.”
 
ABOUT SOUTHERN ANOKA COMMUNITY ASSISTANCE (SACA)
SACA is a 501(c) 3 food shelf and community assistance program in existence since 1976. Located in Columbia Heights, SACA serves the communities of Columbia Heights, Hilltop, Fridley, and Spring Lake Park. For more information about SACA, how to get assistance, or to make a donation, please contact Rick Johnson.

ABOUT EMPTY BOWLS
Empty Bowlsis part of a grassroots movement to help end hunger. The concept of Empty Bowls began in 1990 when a Michigan art teacher, John Hartom, initiated a project to raise charitable funds in his community. He wanted to organize an event that would give artists and art students a way to make a personal difference. Art students made ceramic bowls which were then used as individual serving pieces for a fund-raising meal of soup and bread. Contributing guests kept the empty bowl. During the next year, Hartom and other participants developed this concept into “Empty Bowls.” Communities across the United States and beyond have used this concept to develop and personalize their own Empty Bowls events and have raised millions of dollars to help fight hunger. The Imagine/RENDER Group, a 501(c) 3 organization, was created to promote the project. A partial list of Empty Bowls events can be found at http://www.emptybowls.net . The goals of Empty Bowls are to raise money to help organizations fight hunger, to raise awareness about the issues of hunger and food security, and to help bring about an attitude that will not allow hunger to exist.