Empty bowls event to feed local families

Ceramics are going to be used to help feed food-insecure families in the community. Art students from Southeast Community College and other local artists are sculpting bowls for the 11th annual Empty Bowls Luncheon fundraiser, which benefits the Beatrice Backpack Program. The Backpack Program gives bags of food during the school year to the 100 neediest families on a weekly basis.

“It’s in elementary schools, so the kids get the backpacks at their school on Fridays,” Patty Kaufman, the program coordinator, said. “So that’s kind of the beauty of the program, the program comes to them. A lot of our families, they get free lunch, they get free breakfast, but then on the weekends they might have empty cupboards, so this just supplements their food for the weekends.”

The fundraiser is Thursday, March 21, from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Vintage Venue on 620 Court St. Tickets for the fundraiser are $25, which includes a soup of your choice and a soup bowl to keep.

Soups are being made by Classic’s, The Black Crow, Melody’s Café, the Knights of Columbus, Beatrice Community Hospital, Mosaic, Risky’s Sports Bar & Grill, Farm Credit Services of America, Colleen’s Catering, 4 ONE 8 Bar and Grill, Beatrice High School’s culinary class, Tri-County Board of Realtors, First State Bank and Security First Bank.

Kristy Thies, a co-coordinator for the Backpack Program, urged people to buy tickets in advance.

“We plan to have a few tickets on hand to sell at the door, but maybe not as many as we have had in the past,” Thies said. “We have so many sponsors for the event this year, and with a sponsorship you receive tickets.”

Tickets can be purchased by contacting Kristy Thies at kristy.thies@pinnbank.com, Patty Kaufman at patty.kaufman@exmark.com, or Jill Zimmerman at jill.zimmerman@pinnbank.com.