Idaho Foodbank’s Empty Bowls Goes Virtual; Yes, You Still Get Soup

Last night, I warmed up some leftover soup for dinner. The very first bowl I pulled out of the cupboard was one that I bought during Empty Bowls a few years ago! Empty Bowls is such a big fundraiser for the Idaho Foodbank, that it just has to go on during a year where more families have needed the help of the foodbank! 

Go on it will! Thanks to bowl sponsors, A Way with Clay and Ceramica and members of the community who creatively decorated bowls over the last few months, there are more than 700 bowls available for purchase. Rather than setting them up and ladling out soup on The Grove Plaza, each of the bowls has been photographed and is displayed in this gallery. Once you find the bowl that would look really good in your kitchen, you can buy it directly from the gallery for pick-up at the Idaho Foodbank's warehouse at 3630 E Commercial Ct in Meridian. If you're having a hard time picking one, you can click "surprise me" and have the staff at the foodbank select one for you!

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They won't be serving up soup on the spot, but when you pick up your bowl you'll get a soup coupon to a local restaurant when you pick-up while supplies last. That's in addition to the the reusable bag and a $5 Albertsons gift card!

Bowls start at just $10!  When you consider that $1 = five meals through the Food Bank, that's a lot of mouths being fed in the Treasure Valley if the bowls sell out.

If you think about going to buy food for dinner at Albertsons or Winco you're probably wondering how they come to that number because you know you certainly can't make a meal for $1 unless you're having one tomato and calling that "dinner."  Most food banks use a formula like this: meals fed through food share outreach programs + meals provided through distribution/contributions.  Most food banks see a greater percentage of their stock come in from donations rather than having to actually buy the food, which helps them serve a full, nutritious meal for just $1!

The Empty Bowls Reimagined event goes on HERE through December 11!