AUSTIN, Texas — It has become a holiday tradition in Austin.
Each year, on the weekend before Thanksgiving, the Central Texas Food Bank and Meals on Wheels team up to fill bowls of soup for the community. This weekend is the 28th year of the Austin Empty Bowl Project.
"It's such a quintessential Austin event and really speaks to the character of our community," Mark Jackson, chief development officer at the Central Texas Food Bank, said.
Austin restaurants donate soup, and local potters at about a dozen studios made more than 3,000 bowls for this year's event.
"That is a game changer for us this year. There's always been a lot of bowls, but this is a whole new level," Austin Empty Bowl Project Co-Director Deb Dixon said. "We are hoping to raise money and bring in the proceeds."
The bowls have been decorated by everyone ranging from professional artists, to elementary school students, to Girl Scout troops.
"It's really exciting for me," Dixon said. "I'm also a potter, and it's just nice to see all of the different styles. We have a whole variety of artists out there."
All the money raised during this event goes toward helping the Kids Café program at the Central Texas Food Bank and the Meals on Wheels program, which provides 3,000 meals to the community daily.
"Hunger is off the charts," Henry Van de Putte, President and CEO of Meals on Wheels Central Texas, said. "We see more and more people needing help from agencies like Meals on Wheels in Central Texas."
Jackson said the funds raised from the Empty Bowl Project, which is used to serve the community year-round, could not come at a better time. According to Jackson, hunger in Central Texas is the highest it has ever been, and they are seeing more people now than they did at the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic.
"Over the last year and a half, month over month, we've just seen increasing numbers," Jackson said. "Now there are over half a million people that are food insecure in our 21 county service area here in Central Texas."
According to Feeding America, Texas leads the nation in food insecurity. In Central Texas, the food bank said one in five children and one in six adults are facing hunger.
Jackson said there are a myriad of reasons for the increase.
"There was a reduction in some pandemic-era snap benefits that we saw impacted people's household budgets and their ability to keep food on the table. We started seeing an increasing number of people seeking services around that time," Jackson said. "Also inflation. It's just been tough going to the grocery store and buying food for your family has become so incredibly expensive. The dollars are stretched, and folks need help."
Van de Putte said at Meals on Wheels, they see an ebb and flow of demand, but it is more complex than ever.
"Not everyone is the same, so why someone may be hungry is more complex today than ever," he said. "It's about getting those upstream solutions to alleviate that hunger from even existing."
Jackson also said the event is crucial to fundraise and help families celebrate the holiday season, where they spend about $1 million on food per month.
"Every holiday season, we see an increase in demand," Jackson said. "Folks want to make sure that they have that special holiday meal. We are committed to making sure that they do."
Over the course of the last 27 years the event's been held, more than $1.4 million has been raised.
"This is a great event to build community, build awareness, and also get those services to those folks that may not be as fortunate as some of us who get to spend time with loved ones during these holidays," Van de Putte said.
The Preview Party for sponsors and donors occurred Saturday night at the Central Texas Food Bank. The Empty Bowl Project Event will hand out most of the 3,000 bowls to the more than 1,000 people expected to attend the event from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Sunday.
"It brings a party-like atmosphere like no other. I think it's a great way to bring the whole family and talk about hunger in an uplifting way," Van de Putte said. "It doesn't always have to be dark and stormy. We have the recipe for success. It involves the community being activated for good."
The event has become a tradition for many families each year.
The Central Texas Food Bank always needs more volunteers for their warehouse and distribution. Meals on Wheels is also looking for volunteers to help deliver meals. Van de Putte said they have still not seen the number of volunteers return to pre-pandemic levels, and they currently have more need than volunteers. He said as of Saturday, they have more than 88 open rounds.
For anyone interested in making a donation, they are matching the gifts.