Community members stepped up to make the 2020 Empty Bowls event the most successful Empty Bowls fundraiser ever in Cook County, Minnesota. Due to the global pandemic, Empty Bowls Cook County held an online “give together” event in lieu of its annual soup-meal fundraiser in November 2020. Through donations; the sale of over 200 handmade pottery bowls from the Grand Marais Art Colony and local potters; and the sale of gift certificates donated by local chefs, restaurants, and nonprofits, the event raised $50,000. All funds raised remain in Cook County to meet our community’s ongoing hunger needs.
In the next few weeks, Empty Bowls Cook County will distribute funds to Cook County Community Education, Cook County Council on Aging, Cook County Extension (Snacks and Packs), Cook County Food Shelf, Cook County Public Health and Human Services, Cook County Youth Agency Coalition, local schools and preschools, Ruby’s Pantry, the Violence Prevention Center, and local daycares. These organizations all work to nourish Cook County’s hungry. 2020 highlighted food insecurity nationwide and Empty Bowls Cook County is thrilled to support the ongoing work of those doing critical hunger work in our community.
Empty Bowls extends a special thank you to Natalie Sobanja for her work coordinating this year’s online bowl sale as well as the local potters who created bowls: Maggie Anderson, Adrea Beres, Kari Carter, Elaine Dean, Joan Farnam, Catherine Hansen, Hannah Palma Laky, and Kathy Reeves. We also thank the Grand Marais Art Colony and Birchbark Books and Gifts for their continued partnership and assistance with the bowl sale.
A heartfelt thanks to the 2020 Empty Bowls premier event sponsors – the Charles and Adrienne Johnson Foundation, Dennis and Jolita Rysdahl, and Visit Cook County. We also thank this year’s event sponsors – Arrowhead Electric Cooperative, Clearview General Store, Cook County Whole Foods Coop, Grand Marais State Bank, Beth and Tim Kennedy, Bob and Ginny Padzieski, and St. John’s Catholic Church – as well as the dozens of local businesses and individuals who also donated.
If you haven’t had a chance to donate, donations can still be made at www.emptybowlscookcounty.org. Alternatively, send checks payable to “Empty Bowls Cook County” to Empty Bowls, P.O. Box 294, Grand Marais, MN 55604. Empty Bowls Cook County is 501c3 nonprofit and donations to Empty Bowls Cook County are tax deductible to the full extent of the law.
Cook County Empty Bowls fundraisers started in 2006. The Empty Bowls Cook County organizing committee is Judi Barsness, Pat Campanaro, Ada Igoe, Beth Kennedy, and Edward Vanegas.
Contact: Empty Bowls 2020, P.O. Box 294, Grand Marais, MN 55604
218- 370- 9581( Ada Igoe, Empty Bowls marketing), emptybowlsgm@gmail.com www.emptybowlscookcounty.org
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