For some of us, the Northern Lakes Food Bank Empty Bowl fundraiser was both a herald of spring and a bright spot in an otherwise dull March calendar.
The daytime event was a chance for folks to buy bowls made in the community by everyone from professional artists to schoolkids, and then enjoy a lunch of bread and soup provided by area restaurants.
But by the end of its 25-year run, the popular fundraiser was facing increasingly steep challenges. Decreased volunteer participation, increasing pressure on area artists to make yet another charitable contribution, even curriculum changes in the public schools made it more and more difficult to get the thousands of moving pieces of the huge event to come together just right.
If you have an idea for an Empty Bowl Reimagined, or another kind of project altogether, you can email Northern Lakes Food Bank at info@northernlakesfoodbank.org.
