New York: Since the past fifteen years, a Catholic charity in south-central New york has been selling ceramic soup bowls o raise funds for a food joint that serves food for homeless people. They also intend to spread awareness about homelessness through the funds acquired. In a recent initiative, the Catholic Charities of Chemung and Schuyler Counties are advancing towards their annual social service activity named Empty Bowls Luncheon, which is scheduled to happen on October 15. For the said event, donors would drink soups and pay hee o different stories whose premise is on homelessness and loneliness.
As reported in cna.com by Lindsay Baker, director of development for Catholic Charities, the project informs people on poverty statistics and provides them with a souvenir bowl as a reminder of all the “empty bowls in the community.”
The event is part of the culture and tradition of the area. The students an artist from nearby locations, offer self-made bowls to the cause and partake in the visionary activity that helps to lower the intensity of homelessness and poverty. “[We have partnered] with our local potters. They create commemorative bowls for each participant to take home with them. It’s meant to be a reminder of hunger in the community (sic),” Baker said.
Talkin about the tradition, she said that the donors arrive at the venue, choose a bowl for themselves an s then are served the soup of their choice as per availability. “The idea is that you are satisfied but you are not stuffed. It’s a hunger awareness event so you may not leave extremely full, but people leaving the soup kitchen don’t always leave full too,” she told.
Through the event, the organizers intend to bring the harsh reality of life across the ones, who stay oblivious to or pretend to stay unaffected to the truth.“[This event], in a nice way, slaps them in the face and tells them what life is like. People really leave moved. They have a better appreciation for what is going on behind the scenes,” said Baker.
