‘Empty Bowl Fundraiser’ Raises $1,600 for Safe Haven Shelter

DULUTH, Minn.– A group of middle schoolers from Many Rivers Montessori School raised an impressive $1,600 for Safe Haven Shelter.

Since 2022, the “Empty Bowl Fundraiser” has given students at Many Rivers Montessori a chance to help out the community.

This year, the kids voted to help Safe Haven Shelters in Duluth.

The 7th and 8th graders teamed up with Second Harvest and local artists to sell hand crafted bowls.

The fundraiser happened in February, and alongside the bowls, the kids also made chili, salad and brownies to sell.

Today, Safe Haven received that money, and the students toured the shelter to see how their work will pay off.

“It makes me feel really good that we were able to raise that much money. But I think more credit should go to Ollie than me. Ollie was the kid in the pink sweatshirt. ‘Cuz he like managed it all, and towards the end he really started like taking a stand and putting it all together,” said Oliver Tomsky, a 7th grader at Many Rivers Montessori.

“I think it’s really important for us to come here and know what we’re donating to, to talk to the people at the shelter. ‘Cuz if you give a check, like that’s good. But if you really know what the money is going towards. I think that makes people care a lot more and want to put the work into it,” said Liv Braaten, an 8th grader at Many Rivers Montessori.

With the $1,600 raised, it will be enough money to feed 50 people at the shelter for over a month.