Empty Bowls benefits food pantries
Trending
At a Glance
¯ Empty Bowls will not hold its luncheon this year.
¯ Donations can be by check mailed to the Marietta Community Foundation or by credit card through PayPal.
¯ The link to donate through PayPal is https://www.paypal.com/donate?hosted--button--id=AZL83FLZVWF46.
¯ Next year's luncheon is scheduled for April 2, 2022.
Source: Empty Bowls of the Mid-Ohio Valley.
Food pantries in the Mid-Ohio Valley will be the recipients of this year's Empty Bowls of the Mid-Ohio Valley fundraiser.
Most years, the fundraiser is a luncheon, but because of the pandemic, will be through donations this year.
Committee chair Carol Garoza said the luncheon brings in hundreds of people, so it was canceled in both 2020 and 2021.
"God willing, we'll be able to do it next year," she said. "Last year would have been our 20th. We had a fundraiser last year and thought we'd try one this year."
They have scheduled next year's event for April 2, 2022, to include the traditional luncheon and silent auction.
How much is given to the food pantries and how many food pantries receive funding depends on the amount of money raised.
"When we have our luncheon, (we raise) around $6,000," Garoza said.
"Last year with fundraising was $3,000 and our goal this year is $5,000."
The event will last three weeks from April 9 to 30 and there are two ways to donate.
A check can be mailed to the Marietta Community Foundation, 100 Putnam St., Marietta, OH 45750, or donations are accepted using credit cards through PayPal at https://www.paypal.com/donate?hosted--button--id=AZL83FLZVWF46.
Checks sent to the foundation should be marked as going to the Empty Bowls fundraiser.
"The pandemic forces us to be more creative as we aid the citizens of our community," Mabry O'Donnell, a member of the committee, said. "Having a solid fundraising season for the pantries this year will help overcome food insecurity in the community."
She said working with the Marietta Community Foundation this year makes it easy for people to donate, as well as giving the assurance the money is going to the food pantries.
"They will gather the funds and help us distribute it to the food pantries," O'Donnell said.
She said the luncheon has been a "wonderful event to bring people together."
The donated bowls come from both professional potters as well as students.
"Some of the professional potters in town have been exceedingly kind with their donations," she said.
Michele Newbanks can be reached at mnewbanks@mariettatimes.com.