The 7th annual Empty Bowls Community Luncheon on September 26 raised $45,000 for 5Cities Homeless Coalition programs and services in southern San Luis Obispo County.
Over the course of two and a half hours, more than 800 people ate soup and bread served by 30 local public servants and celebrities. They consumed more than 125 gallons of soup and dozens of loaves of bread provided by 25 local restaurants and bakeries, eating out of bowls selected from hundreds handmade and donated by local artists and students.
“We couldn’t be more pleased with the turnout and support from the local community,” according to Shelly Higginbotham, one of the event organizers. “We are grateful to St. Patrick’s Church and the many businesses, congregations and organizations who work hand in hand with us to make this event so successful every year.”
Many of those same
partners work with the Coalition throughout the year to help those who are homeless or at risk for homelessness, according to Coalition Executive Director Janna Nichols. “We served more than 1,000 families last year thanks to our partnerships with donors, volunteers and other agencies in our community,” she says. “While permanent housing is the heart of our mission, the solution to homelessness is not just a roof.” Money raised at Empty Bowls helps fund case management and a variety of programs and services, as well as providing direct financial assistance for families facing homelessness.
“Our challenge is to continue to provide help to our neighbors in need, while we are experiencing dramatic increases in requests,” says Coalition Board President Mike Byrd. “Empty Bowls also helps raise awareness about issues surrounding homelessness: increasing rents, the high cost of living in the area, and finding a living-wage job to be able to pay for housing.”
Twenty-five local restaurants donated bread or at least five gallons of their signature soups, and ceramic and wooden bowls were created by Pottery Coast and Anam-Cré pottery studios, Central Coast Wood Turners, a variety of professional artists, and instructors and students at several local high schools and Allan Hancock College. Thanks to Altrusa International of Cinco Ciudades, students from Oceano Elementary and Lopez Continuation High School decorated more than 100 bowls specifically for the event.
SAVE THE DATE FOR NEXT YEAR: SEPTEMBER 18, 2019!
Please help us thank these sponsors, restaurants and artists for their support.
Major sponsors include:
- Pacific Gas & Electric
- San Luis Obispo County Supervisors
- Community Foundation SLO County
Additional sponsors include:
- 1st Capital Bank
- 5Cities Men’s Club
- Arroyo Grande Chevrolet
- Arroyo Grande Community Hospital
- BHE Renewables
- Bill Senna’s Insurance Services
- CenCal Health
- CoastHills Federal Credit Union
- Coco’s Restaurant & Bakery
- Community Health Centers
- Controller-on Call
- Dan & Mary De Jong
- ECO Club Five Cities
- First American Title
- George Hoag Family Foundation
- Guild Mortgage/ Kai Lynch
- Idler’s
- Jamie Clark State Farm Insurance
- Joan Gellert Sargen
- Kennan-Carter Group
- Kiwanis Club of Arroyo Grande Valley
- LeeAnne & George Fisher
- Merit Profiles Background Screening
- Mikeand Dayna Ravalin
- Nancy Puder & Associates
- Nipomo Community Presbyterian Church
- Pacific Eye Surgeons
- Pacific Western Bank
- Pismo Beach Veterinary Clinic
- Planning Commissioner John Mack
- Rabobank Rotary Club Five Cities Eco
- San Luis Ambulance
- SESLOC Federal Credit Union
- SLOCO Data & Printing
- Specialty Construction
- St. Patrick’s Catholic Church
- Stifel – The Cohl Hosick Group
- Sure Mortgage
- The Temple of the People
- The Tribune
- The Vernon Family
- United Way of SLO County
- Wallace Group
- Wells Fargo
Fantastic Soups and Bread Prepared By These Local Restaurants:
- Alphy’s Broiler
- California Fresh Market
- CJ’s Café
- Coco’s Restaurant
- DePalo & Sons
- Ember
- Fin’s
- Grover Beach Sourdough
- Honeymoon Café
- House of Bread
- Huckleberry’s
- Jaffa Café
- The Lido
- Mason’s Bar & Grill
- New Life Kitchen
- Oceano Elks Lodge
- Old Juan’s Cantina
- Penny’s All American Café
- Rooster Creek Tavern
- Rosa’s Ristorante Italiano
- Sconos Potato
- Splash Café
- The Spoon Trade
- Spyglass Inn Restaurant
- Zorro’s
Generous Raffle Donors Include
- Alphy’s Broiler
- Apropos
- Arani Salon & Day Spa
- Patty Arias
- Shelly Arnold
- Rose Bartlett
- Susan Bass
- Sharon Beko
- Branch Street Deli
- Brisco’s Village Gift
- Cafe Andreini
- Central Coast Quilt Guild
- Central Coast Woodturners
- Cherry Lane Nursery
- Cottonwood Canyon Winery
- Peggy & David Coon
- Dan De Jong
- DePalo & Sons
- Designs By Edie
- Doc Burnstein’s Ice Cream Lab
- Linda Fieldner
- F. McLintocks Saloon
- Gina’s Italian Cuisine
- Grand Deli
- Karen Gray
- Harry & David
- Hello Village
- Shelly Higginbotham
- Judi Higgins
- Jaffa Café
- Bernice Johnson
- Laetitia Vineyard and Winery
- Richard Lasiewski
- LA Chargers
- Lido at Dolphin Bay
- Mary’s Antics
- Mason Bar & Kitchen
- Monarch Grove Winery
- Mongo’s Saloon & Restaurant
- Palo Mesa Pizza
- Phantom Rivers Wine
- Posies in the Village
- Pottery Coast
- Red Bee Coffee
- Rib Line by the Beach
- Ron’s Nursery
- Rooster Creek Tavern
- Mary Russell
- Arlene Sackman
- Santa Barbara Historical Museum
- Santa Barbara Zoo
- David & Paula Schaffner
- Sconos Italian Small Plates
- Bob Seiple
- SF 49ers
- Sister Kitchen
- Something Different
- Sports Dugout
- Spyglass Inn Restaurant
- Station Grill
- Fin’s Restaurant
- Tally Farms Fresh Harvest
- The Great American Melodrama & Vaudeville
- The Green Room
- The Hive
- The Spoon Trade
- The Village Salon
- Trader Joe’s
- Verdad Wine Cellars
- Villa Cantina
- Village Cafe
- Vocal Arts Ensemble
- Bonnie Werring
- Woodstock’s Pizza
