‘Empty Bowls’ dinner planned for next week

With the help of some local business owners, the Unitarian Universalist Church of the Palouse will host a soup dinner next Wednesday to benefit the Moscow Food Bank as part of an international project called Empty Bowls.

Organizer Ginger Yoder, director of family ministries for the church, said artists of all ages have painted almost 100 ceramic bowls, which attendees can purchase with a donation that will go directly to the food bank.

Yoder said Moscow business Wild at Art has partnered with the church to help make the event a reality — offering the bowls and paints at cost, and helping to ensure that 100 percent of the proceeds go to the food bank.

This is not the first time an Empty Bowls event has been held in Moscow, Yoder said, but it is the first time the Universalist Church and Wild at Art have teamed up to support such an event. Born and raised in Moscow, Yoder said she has hosted similar events with a church she previously worked for in Chicago and was eager to try it out in her hometown.

“Every year in Chicago that I ran this program, we raised about $2,000, to the local food bank, so it’s been successful in the past when I’ve done it,” Yoder said. “In Moscow, I believe there’s a very underserved and under-known community of people who are food insecure and hungry.”

Yoder said in January alone the food bank served 891 adults and 479 children.

Wild at Art owners Donald Stanziano and Joan Hofmann said when they were approached by Yoder, opting to help out was an easy decision. Stanziano said Wild at Art frequently teams up to aid in the efforts of other local nonprofits, like Alternatives to Violence of the Palouse and the Humane Society of the Palouse, calling these collaborations “one of the joys of owning a business.”

Stanziano said he has high hopes for turnout.

“If 300 people show up for this dinner and there’s 95 bowls to be purchased, that’s a good thing,” he said. “The Unitarian Church has plenty of other bowls that people (can eat from) ... but the more the merrier in terms of showing up, because that just generates more money.”

Director of the Moscow Food Bank Linda Nickels said she is always grateful when community members pitch in to combat hunger on the Palouse. Be it from Greek organizations, local Boy Scout troops or businesses, the food bank is always looking, but never lacking, for volunteers.

Nickels said those who want to donate or volunteer can visit them in Moscow at 110 N. Polk St., or call them at (208) 882-4813. All Latah County residents are welcome to access the food bank, she said.

“If they have need, all they need to do is come to the bank — we’re open from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Friday,” Nickels said. “No questions asked, the only thing they have to do is usually have some form of ID that indicates their name and address — they need to be living in Latah County.”

Yoder said the soup dinner will take place 6-8 p.m. Wednesday in the Unitarian Universalist Church of the Palouse’s basement at 420 E. Second St. in Moscow. All are welcome.

Scott Jackson can be reached at (208) 883-4636, or by email to sjackson@dnews.com.