Number of Participants: 20
Hours Donated: 2
Value of Time Served: $338
Event Amount Raised: $6,000
Event Type: Hunger
Sport: Schools
Date: March 20, 2018
Location:
Northport High School
Laurel Hill Road, Northport
NY
About:
The Northport High School art club hosted an “Empty Bowls” fundraiser to benefit the Ecumenical Lay Council Food Pantry on March 20. “Empty Bowls” is an international grass roots effort to raise funds for local food charities and educate people around issues of poverty and hunger in their community.
Each year, art club facilitator and event organizer Linda Johansen applies for a grant from the Altice Connects Charity Champions. Once selected for the grant, the organization gives the art club $250 to get started on the project. In addition, the organization donates $1,000 to the charity of the club’s choice, which is the Ecumenical Lay Council Food Pantry — a local food pantry that provides food for more than 150 families in the community.
In order to bring awareness to all the those in the world who are hungry, art club members, student volunteers and members of the community created handmade ceramic bowls in preparation for their annual soup dinner. More than 70 volunteers made this year’s Empty Bowls fundraiser possible. Those who attended to support the cause donated $10 for soup, and were able to keep one of the 400 the beautifully crafted ceramic bowls as a reminder of all the empty bowls in the world.
“For a lot of my students, putting on this event is an eye opener,” said Ms. Johansen, “understanding that it could be a neighbor, a teacher or a friend that needs help.”
In addition to the $1,000 donation by Charity Champions, the fundraiser itself raised approximately $5,000. This food pantry has been the annual fundraiser’s charity of choice for the past six years, and the art club has raised more than $35,000 for them since.
“This event shows everyone involved the joy you feel when you are doing something to help others,” said Ms. Johansen. “I believe that my students will carry that with them for the rest of their lives.”
Photo captions:
- Northport High School students joyfully volunteered for the art club’s annual “Empty Bowls” fundraiser, where approximately $5,000 were raised for a local food pantry.
- More than 400 ceramic bowls were handmade for Northport High School’s annual Empty Bowls” fundraiser on March 20.
- Northport Art Club was presented with a $1,000 check from the organization Charity Champions to support the Ecumenical Lay Council Food Pantry, the club’s annual charity of choice.
- Many members of the Northport community came out support the art club’s “Empty Bowls” fundraiser on March 20.
- Many students from Northport High School came out support the “Empty Bowls” fundraiser on March 20.
Photos courtesy of the Northport-East Northport Union Free School District
