Second Harvest Food Bank Puts “Pause” on Annual Empty Bowl Event

Feedback Survey Will be Available Through March 31

DULUTH, Minn. – Second Harvest Northern Lakes Food Bank is hitting the “pause” button on this year’s Empty Bowl fundraiser, according to officials with the non-profit organization.

“After a successful 25 years, we think it’s an important time to reflect on this event, evaluate its impact on our region and our organization. It will also allow us an opportunity to consider how we best engage our region in our future fight against hunger,” said Shaye Moris, executive director of Second Harvest.

Moris said the two-day Empty Bowl event raises around $50,000 each year and requires as much as 500 hours from volunteers and staff to put the event on.   She also said the number of volunteer artists available to make hundreds of bowls has fallen to around 2o to 25 people.

So after 25 years, Moris decided it was best to step back, evaluate resources, get community feedback and then figure out if the community wants Empty Bowl to return — and if so, maybe in a new and improved format that meets the needs of the community while raising money for Second Harvest Northern Lakes Food Bank and its many hunger-relief programs.

The community survey will be available through March 31.

To participate in the survey, you can visit: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/9T27HCQ.