Good Samaritan Ministries held their annual Empty Bowls fundraiser Thursday, which was a huge success raising $24,742.50 to help fund their hunger ministry.
GSM’s annual hunger ministry has an annual budget of $150,000, of which this year’s event will fund 16%, according to Program Manager Misty Bowers.
There were 918 diners were in attendance this year. Each participating by donating a suggested $10 each for a handmade bowl of their choice and a simple meal of soup, bread and water. At the end of the meal, the diners were encouraged to take the empty bowl home to serve as a reminder that there are those in our own community who have empty bowls and empty stomachs.
Soup for the event was donated by local 19 restaurants. Eleven main sponsors included Wal-Mart, Big Country Ford, Comanche Electric Co-Op, Citizens National Bank, Encompass Health Care, Roberson Rent-All, Texas Bank, TXU, Doug and Sarah Chandler, Howard Payne University and Landmark Life. In addition to these main sponsors, there were also 22 table sponsors.
GSM will tithe ten percent to an organization that fights hunger internationally. This year, as they have for the previous two, GSM will send the tithe of $2,474.25 to Food for the Hungry who has hunger programs in Africa, Asia and South America.
Bowers stated that GSM staff and volunteers are very pleased with the outcome of this year’s event.
“We are so incredibly pleased with the turnout this year considering we closed five hours earlier than in the past,” said Bowers. “We are so thankful to everyone who participated either in sponsorships, table sponsors, donating soup, water or ice, painting bowls, glazing bowls or just showing up to choose a bowl and have some soup.”
GSM hunger ministries have provided the following in the past year:
- 36,408 servings of venison given through The Deer Project
- 936,734 pounds of food given through the GSM food pantry
- 4,495 bags of food given to students for the weekend through the Food for Thought Program which served 14 local school campuses.
Pictured above a young attendee picks out his bowl. Below are photos of the event and participants.
