Charity dinner to help battle hunger

The Arizona Western College League of Artists is holding a new fundraising event next year in an effort to fight hunger.

During the Empty Bowls Charity Dinner, participants will receive a handmade ceramic bowl, a serving of soup, bread and a drink – all for $12. Those attending also have the option to bring 10 canned goods and $2 instead. Monetary proceeds will go to Crossroads Mission with the collected food benefiting Yuma Community Food Bank.

The ceramic bowls are being donated by local professional potters in Yuma in addition to artists from the college and area high schools. A variety of soups, breads and drinks are also being donated by locally owned restaurants.

“We would really love to see the whole community get involved in this project and hope that it can become an annual event in Yuma,” said Bethany Koscinski, president of the League of Artists at AWC. “We would also really like to thank the restaurants that have already committed to donating soup, including Ciao Bella, Lutes Casino, and River City Grill, and a thank you to the various high schools and community potters who are using their energy, time, and creativity to create bowls. We are still looking for additional food donations – specifically soup and bread – so if any local business owners are interested, we would really appreciate their help.”

The event will be held at the Yuma Art Center, 254 S. Main St., from 4 to 7 p.m. on Jan. 11.

The Empty Bowls event is part of an international grassroots effort to fight hunger and was created by the Imagine Render Group. Koscinski said that their local group was trying to come up with an idea of how they could give back to the community and their advisor, Angel Luna, mentioned the Empty Bowls project.

“In exchange for a cash donation, guests partake of a simple meal and are asked to keep a bowl as a reminder of all the empty bowls in the world,” stated AWC. “The money raised is given to organizations that help feed people in need.”

For more information the upcoming Empty Bowls Charity Dinner, contact Koscinski at Bkoscins@hotmail.com or at 581-8963. Also visit the event Facebook page at http://tinyurl.com/d249bd9 for additional information or visit emptybowls.net to learn more about the international movement.