Artfully Feeding the Hungry

As part of our Food First program, First Choice Power was honored to be a Soup Ladle sponsor of the Empty Bowls Luncheon and Silent Auction, a benefit for our Food First^TM partner the Food Bank of the Rio Grande Valley. With music from local performers and a silent auction of larger bowls and art, the event raised more than $30,000 and awareness about the plight of hunger in the Rio Grande Valley. Area restaurants provided 800 guests with a delicious lunch of soup, salad, bread and dessert. After eating, every guest chose one of 2,000 beautiful one-of-a-kind bowls to take home, a reminder that there are still empty bowls in our communities.

First Choice Power employee Sonia Guajardo-Lopez was on the committee for the event and is a member of the Food Bank of the Rio Grande Valley board of directors. She and her son helped make some of the bowls that were given away.

“Empty Bowls is a really special event, not only because it raises money for the food bank, but also because it brings the community together,” said Guajardo-Lopez. “The handmade bowls are all just beautiful — each one is different. By giving each guest one to take home, it’s like we’re giving them a mission to continue fighting hunger. It’s an event that stays with people.”

This year’s event was so successful that it was featured on the front page of the McAllen Monitor.

For information about next year’s event, contact Karen Featherston of the Food Bank of the Rio Grande Valley, (956) 682-8101, ext. 35 or karenf@foodbankrgv.com.