MCC to Host Empty Bowls Project Benefitting Connecticut Foodshare on October 22

MANCHESTER, Conn. (October 18, 2022) – Over the last 22 years the annual Empty Bowls Project at Manchester Community College (MCC) has raised over $350,000 to benefit Connecticut Foodshare, the statewide food bank serving all of Connecticut where nearly 400,000 people are food insecure, including 1 in 8 children.

MCC faculty, staff and volunteers are preparing for and will host the community for this exciting event on Saturday, October 22, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., in the college’s Culinary Arts Center. Admission is $20, with a discounted price of $8 for children 10 and under. Tickets can be purchased at the door the day of the event.

All proceeds from the Empty Bowls Project benefit Connecticut Foodshare. “After a two-year hiatus due to the pandemic we are thrilled this event is back,” said Jason Jakubowski, president and CEO, Connecticut Foodshare. “It’s a family-friendly event that rallies the community together with a simple meal of soup and bread, bringing awareness to the issue of food insecurity throughout our state. We cannot thank MCC enough for supporting our mission and for our longstanding partnership these past 22 years.”

The Empty Bowls Project offers guests the unique opportunity to enjoy a hearty meal featuring soups, breads, desserts and beverages served by MCC’s Culinary Arts and Hospitality Management students, and guests get to select and bring home a handcrafted soup bowl, which is intended to remind people of all the empty bowls in food-insecure households across Connecticut and around the world.

“The Empty Bowls Project is a signature event for MCC. It is an exceptional opportunity for our students to apply their classroom work to serve our communities,” said MCC Chief Executive Office Nicole C. Esposito, Ed.D. “Connecticut Foodshare is a generous partner and supports our Cougar Pantry – part of our wraparound services for students in-need. Being able to give back to Connecticut Foodshare – and to help feed our friends and neighbors – is an honor.”

Handcrafted bowls are donated by a variety of sources, like Birch Mountain Pottery, Manchester Community College – ceramics students, MCC Alumni Association and Cheney Tech. Many local restaurants partake in the event by donating some of their signature soups, some of the participating restaurants this year are Shady Glen, Mulberry Street, Café’ Aura, The Main Pub, October Kitchen, Becker’s Foods and ECHN.

“Empty Bowls is truly an incredible community event.  From the students doing the work at MCC to the donations of local restaurants and businesses involved, Highland Park Market is thrilled to be a part of this great collaboration in the community,” said Molly Devanney, Vice President of Highland Park Market and co-chair of Empty Bowls.

In addition, take-home quarts of soup will be available for sale at the cost of $10 per quart, and a discounted price of $35 for four quarts.

ABOUT CONNECTICUT FOODSHARE
Connecticut Foodshare is the food bank serving the people of Connecticut and a member of the national Feeding America network. Last year, Connecticut Foodshare distributed enough food to provide 37.5 million meals through a network of more than 650 community-based hunger relief programs, including food pantries, meal programs and mobile distribution sites, while also working on long-term solutions to food insecurity. Thousands of volunteers help power the work of Connecticut Foodshare, and last year, they gave more than 46,000 hours of service. To learn more visit www.ctfoodshare.org.