Duluth’s Empty Bowls event turned 20 this year when the event occurred April 16 at the Depot in Duluth. Throughout its history there have been bowl shortages, soup shortages, a famous Gov. Jesse Ventura bowl, two major blizzards and the winning of the Duluth Superior Area Community Foundation’s Touchstone Award. However, event organizers say the most memorable part of the event is the amount of people it has fed since its beginning.
“When the event began back in 1994, I don’t think anyone thought it would grow to the scale it has grown today,” said Shaye Moris, Second Harvest Northern Lakes Food Bank’s executive director and Empty Bowls Committee Member. “In its first year it raised enough for Second Harvest to rescue and distribute enough food for 30,000 meals for Northland residents in need. Today we provide 234,000 meals annually thanks to Empty Bowls. Since its inception it has allowed us to provide 3.8 million meals.”
Individuals and organizations will be recognized as part of this year’s event when Second Harvest and the Empty Bowls Committee recognize “20 Great Individuals and Organizations in Empty Bowl History.”
The criteria for this distinction includes individuals or organizations that have been associated with Empty Bowls for nearly all of its 20-year history and those who have made a significant contribution to its success.
Empty Bowls is an annual event for Second Harvest Northern Lakes Food Bank, the region’s only “food bank” and rescuer of nationally and regionally donated food for distribution to over 120 northeastern Minnesota and northwestern Wisconsin nonprofit programs and approximately 44,000 people in need. In its first 19 years, Empty Bowls raised $757,981, allowing the food bank to rescue and distribute enough food for 3.8 million meals for Northland residents in need. For more information call (218) 727-5653, ext. 113.
The Cook County Empty Bowls Dinner And Silent Auction, hosted by the Grand Marais Art Colony, will be Thursday, November 14, 2013.
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