Where else can you get a Farm to Table meal for a 10-15 dollar donation? (Of course if you are moved to donate more, we won’t say no.) The core purpose of Empty Bowls is to raise funds for local food charities and educate people around issues of poverty and hunger in their community. The event is a supper where, for a donation, guests choose a bowl and get some soup and bread. Beyond this basic premise, there are a lot of variations on how an Empty Bowls event is handled. The originators wanted it that way so that communities could make it their own, based on their needs and resources. We will be raising funds for the Grayson County Backpack Ministries as well as the matching program for SNAP at our Market.
Of course our greatest resource is Chef Jen and the other talented cooks at the Market and in our community who are making the soups. We also have generous farmers donating their products and very talented potters donating their work to the event. Hannah Martin of Heartmoss Pottery opened her studio to volunteers to make bowls as well as donating bowls to the event herself. She also arranged for Holly Hood of Peachbottom Pottery to participate as well. Now all we need is for you to come join us Saturday, June 9 from 4 to 6:30 pm at VFW Post 7726, 115 Klondike Road in Independence, Virginia.
The Arts and Cultural Council of the Twin Counties is the primary host of Empty Bowls in our area. They also sponsor Empty Bowls fundraisers in Galax and Carroll counties with the guiding principle of “Marshaling the arts to feed more than just the soul “. They coordinate the bowls, most being made by volunteers at area schools and Chest Creek school of the Arts and help folks in each area host the event.
Part of the Farmers Market mission is to teach people how to cook fresh, local food. To that end, we have scheduled Empty Bowls in a different season each of the 3 years we have helped the Arts Council with the event. This allows Chef Jen and the talented cooks of the Independence Farmers Market to showcase different local, seasonal vegetables and fruit in the soups they make from scratch. The menu this year includes Portuguese Kale, pork posole, vegetarian spring vegetable, and strawberry rhubarb soup. Freshly made rolls, bread and delicious desserts round out the meal. As mentioned above, ten to fifteen dollars is the suggested donation (cash or check only). Take out will be available. Proceeds will benefit Grayson County Backpack Ministries and the Farmers Market SNAP Match program. For more information call the Arts Council at 276-238-1217 or visit www.artsculturalcouncil.org