26th Annual Empty Bowls Luncheon presented by Bank of America

The 26th Annual Empty Bowls Luncheon is presented by Bank of America.

Bowls, Bread & Soup
The Empty Bowls Luncheon demonstrates community support for those who are coping with hunger in North Florida. Local celebrities (including media personalities) act as servers for the event. In addition to helping fight hunger, the luncheon presents a diverse program for all. Area students and senior citizen groups have created original, handcrafted ceramic bowls for every guest. Luncheon attendees are able to select just the right bowl to take home.

Local potters and ceramic artists have also donated their time and talents to create unique bowls. In addition, the Empty Bowls Luncheon includes celebrity signed bowls. Recognized personalities from the national stage have lent their names to the cause.

The annual Empty Bowls Luncheon has come to symbolize the beginning of Thanksgiving and the holiday season. We hope you join us for a memorable afternoon and help us fill the empty bowls in our community. All proceeds will benefit Second Harvest North Florida, its member agencies and our neighbors who need food assistance.

Empty Bowls History
Several years ago, a high school art teacher came up with a creative way for his students to raise funds to support a food drive. What evolved was a class project to make clay bowls for a fund-raising meal. Guests were served a simple meal of soup and bread and were invited to keep the bowl as a reminder of hunger in the world. By the following year, the originator had developed this concept into Empty Bowls, a project to provide support for food banks, soup kitchens and other organizations that fight hunger.

About Second Harvest
Second Harvest North Florida has served those in need since 1979. In Jacksonville, the majority of the people served by Second Harvest are children and senior citizens. The common misconception is that hunger is experienced only by the homeless; however, this population comprises less than 10 percent of the people helped by Second Harvest.

In an effort to meet growing needs in our community, special events like Empty Bowls help to promote hunger awareness, raise much-needed funds, and show support for one of the nation’s most solvable social issues – food insecurity.

How Second Harvest Fights Hunger
    * Distributes millions of pounds of food annually through more than 500 member agencies to hungry people in an 18-county area;
    * Provides nutritious food, snacks and meals to more than 8,500 children through the Kids Cafe, Summer Lunch and BackPack programs.
    * Arranges for pick-up and storage of fresh and nonperishable foods, which saves local nonprofits millions of dollars each year;
    * Organizes Mobile Pantries, a series of single-day events sponsored by corporations, churches and nonprofit organizations to distribute large amounts of food in the areas most affected by poverty and hunger;
    * Works with the Jacksonville Farmers Market to enable people in need to use EBT/Food stamp cards for purchasing fresh, healthy food.

Ticket Information
$25 - Individual Ticket

$500 - Corporate Table
• Table of 10 and recognition in event program

$300 - Non-Profit Table
• Table of 10 and recognition in event program

Sponsorship Levels
$10,000 - Gold Bowl Sponsor
• Logo on event poster and signage
• Full page ad in event program
• Recognition in media efforts
• Recognition on Second Harvest North Florida Web site
• Recognition in Second Harvest North Florida & LSS publications 
  and e-Newsletters.
• 2 tables of 10 with Corporate name recognition
• Significant recognition on all signage at the event

$7,500 - Silver Bowl Sponsor
• Logo on Event Poster & Signage
• Half Page ad in Event Program
• Recognition in Media efforts
• Recognition on Second Harvest North Florida Web site
• Recognition in Second Harvest North Florida & LSS publications 
  and E-Newsletters.
• 2 tables of 10 with corporate name recognition

$5,000 - Silver Soup Tureen Sponsor
• Logo on event poster & signage
• Recognition in media efforts
• Recognition in event program
• Recognition on Second Harvest North Florida Web site
• Recognition in Second Harvest North Florida & LSS publications 
  and e-Newsletters.
• 2 tables of 10 with corporate name recognition

$2,500 - Soup Ladle Sponsor
• Logo on event poster & signage
• Recognition in media efforts
• Recognition in event Program
• Recognition on Second Harvest North Florida Web site
• Recognition in Second Harvest North Florida & LSS publications 
  and e-Newsletters.
• 1 table of 10

$1,000 - Soup Spoon Sponsor
• Logo on event poster & signage
• Recognition in event program
• Recognition on Second Harvest North Florida Web site
• Recognition in Second Harvest North Florida & LSS publications 
  and e-Newsletters.
• 1 table of 10