On Wednesday, April 13, 2011, Newburgh Free Academy staff and students raised approximately $3,600 during Empty Bowls, an annual event held to benefit the Food Bank of the Hudson Valley. Empty Bowls is a national network of volunteer efforts to provide hunger relief. Each year, students from NFA ceramic classes volunteer to make one-of-a-kind bowls for the dinner. Students then volunteer their time to help serve a basic meal of soup, salad, fruit and bread for guests.
The donation for each meal is $15 – but guests keep the bowl to remember all year that there are plenty among us who face empty bowls each day. All proceeds go to the Food Bank of the Hudson Valley, the main food supplier to local food pantries and soup kitchens.
According to NFA French teacher Pilar Treus who helped organize the event, “The event was a success again this year. We hope to raise even more for the Food Bank of the Hudson Valley next year. We must remember in these difficult times that many people’s “bowls” don’t often get filled.”
In addition, door prize and raffles of many gift certificates from local businesses were donated for the event. Sponsors for Empty Bowls 2011 include: Commodore Chocolatier, Hannaford Supermarkets, Price Chopper, Wal-mart, Stop & Shop Supermarket, Shop Rite Vails Gate, Rockland Bakery, Adams Fairacre Farms, Showtime Cinemas, Rainbow Hair Salon, Morning Pond florist, Yuess Garden Florist, La Guadalupana Bakery, T. Marie Hair Salon, Nature’s Pantry, Billy Joe’s Ribworks, Longhorn Restaurant, Chris- Dian Florist, Stewart Shops, Leptondale Nursery, Zafar Produce, Devitts Nursery, NFA Cafeteria staff, and Jim Morrison.
