Elmira, NY, Dec 27, 2019 / 07:25 am
For nearly 15 years, a Catholic charity in south-central New York has sold ceramic bowls to raise both money for a local food pantry and awareness about the problem of homelessness in the region.
Catholic Charities of Chemung and Schuyler Counties held its 14th annual Empty Bowls Luncheon on Oct. 15, inviting donors to eat soup and hear the stories of homelessness.
Lindsay Baker, director of development for Catholic Charities in the area told CNA that the project informs people on poverty statistics and provides them with a souvenir bowl as a reminder of all the "empty bowls in the community."
The project is a major event for the region. Local artists, including high-schoolers and students and faculty from nearby Elmira College, handcraft commemorative bowls for the luncheon.