5th Annual Empty Bowls Event to Move to
Virtual Week of Giving
to Benefit the Franklin Food Pantry
The Franklin High School Empty Bowls Club will host an online Week of Giving spanning Monday, June 8th – Friday, June 12, 2020. In the past, the club has partnered with the Franklin Food Pantry to deliver a simple meal of soup and bread served "soup-kitchen" style as a reminder of the many "empty bowls" that exist in the lives of those who experience hunger.
This year, there will be an online auction featuring advanced clay pieces that have been created by current and recently graduated FHS Empty Bowls Club members along with Claymark Studio based in Franklin, MA. The auction will open June 8 at 8:00 am and will run through June 12 8am. Then, any person making a direct donation made to the pantry during the Week of Giving will receive a handmade ceramic bowl.
According to Lynn Calling, the Pantry's Executive Director, "When the Pandemic began, we were in the midst of planning the 5th annual fundraiser. It became clear we needed to rethink the in-person event, but we still wanted to hold the fundraiser as an opportunity for our community to unite and to support our neighbors in need. The number of families counting on the Pantry is the highest it has been in five years, and we see new neighbors weekly. The need is very real."
Calling said the event would not be possible without the partnership of the Franklin High School Empty Bowls Club and FHS Art Teacher Brenna Johnson. Johnson said, "the club worked so hard this year and we were all looking forward to the 5th annual fundraiser so when FHS closed in March we wanted to find a way to still make this event happen." Since early April, club members have been making one-of-a-kind clay objects at home for the online auction and several club members and their families have glazed boxes of bowls at home as well; it's truly been a community effort the make the Week of Giving happen.
Special thanks to our Empty Bowls Sponsors: Grove Street Auto Repair, Keefe Insurance, QRGA, Time's Up and Vet Med. Thank you also to Whole Foods and Three Restaurant for donating the soup to our past events.
The auction will run from June 8 through June 12. Visit the website to bid on beautiful handmade ceramic items. All proceeds will go to benefit the Franklin Food Pantry.
Empty Bowls is an international grass roots effort to fight hunger and raise funds to support local pantries. The Franklin Food Pantry and the FHS Empty Bowls Club work together to support the cause locally. For more information about the event, visit
www.franklinfoodpantry.org or call 508-528-3115.
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About the Franklin High School Empty Bowls Club
Franklin High School is participating in an international charity project called Empty Bowls, which supports hunger initiatives in local communities. The objective of the Empty Bowls Club is to teach students of all ages that they can make a difference in their local community. Club members, their families, coupled with the Franklin community spend the year making ceramic bowls by hand. Then, the Empty Bowls Club and the Franklin Food Pantry co-host a community meal and fundraiser at FHS. All funds raised at this event are donated directly to the Franklin Food Pantry. This year, The Empty Bowls Club has received grant support from the Franklin Cultural Council and the Walmart Foundation.
About the Franklin Food Pantry
The Franklin Food Pantry offers supplemental food assistance and household necessities to more than 1,100 individuals. Clients have access to bread and fresh produce daily during Pantry hours. As a nonprofit organization, the Pantry depends entirely on donations, and receives no town or state funding. Other programs include a Mobile Pantry, Weekend Backpack Program for Franklin elementary and middle school children in need, Carts for Clients to help clients transport groceries home, emergency food bags and holiday meal packages. The Pantry is located at 43 W. Central St. in Franklin on Route 140 across from the Franklin Fire Station. Visit www.franklinfoodpantry.org for more information.
Auction link opens June 8:
https://sites.google.com/view/emptybowls5/live-auction
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| 5th Annual Empty Bowls Event to Move to Virtual Week of Giving to Benefit the Franklin Food Pantry |
