Empty Bowls Soup Fundraiser Saturday in St. Joseph Supports Local Food Shelf - Dining and Cooking

(KNSI) – Saint Benedict’s Monastery is inviting the public to grab a bowl of soup this weekend and help stock the shelves at the St. Joseph Community Food Shelf.

The second-annual Empty Bowls, A Gathering of Hope event runs from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Saturday, October 10th, in the parking lot across from The House Food and Tap in St. Joseph. There’s no set price. Guests pick out a handmade bowl, fill it with soup and donate whatever they can.

Elizabeth Reum is director of social justice ministries for the Sisters of the Order of Saint Benedict. “We had folks last year that just kinda did the drive-by, grabbed the soup, threw some money in the jar, and it was perfect, and it’s whatever people can afford to give.”

All proceeds go to the food shelf, and Reum says everything used at the event is donated, so there’s no overhead. Last year’s first event drew more than 300 people and raised $6,452.81. She told KNSI that money matters because of how the food shelf operates. “Our local food shelf is all self-funded, they don’t get any grants, they don’t get any outside funding from the government.”

According to Reum, last year’s donation came as SNAP benefits were being cut and more people were turning to the food shelf for help.

Five soups will rotate through the afternoon, including jalapeño beer cheese, chili, chicken noodle, chicken wild rice and a white navy bean and ham soup. There will also be bread and beverages.

The bowls themselves were made and donated by local potters, school art clubs and community members. Three local artists also made larger bowls and vases that will be raffled off, with tickets costing $5 each.

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