Each year the United Food Bank of Plant City brings the community together for a special event to remind them of the food insecurity that plagues thousands of their local neighbors.
Anywhere from 800 to 1,000 tickets to Empty Bowls are sold each year for attendees to take part in the nationwide event.
“This is a big awareness event for the entire nation,” Mary Heysek, director of the United Food Bank of Plant City, said. “Our community does well because we are such a small, supportive community. There’s so many things that go on to help support local organizations and to support those who call Plant City home. Our people are very protective of their community and because of that we are able to help do so much good.”
This year the food bank is shaking it up with the addition of a new sidewalk chalk art component. A professional graphic artist is giving a presentation at the Greater Plant City Chamber of Commerce and then the Empty Bowls Team will head to the railroad museum to conduct the 3-d street art demonstration.
Sylvia Dodson, UFB board member who has spearheaded the event, has wanted to offer the unique artistic promotion for years. The number of hours Dodson and her team have poured into the event have transformed it into a celebration unlike any other.
Attendees give a donation of $10 at the event or $5 in advance for a ticket to Empty Bowls, which includes a lunch of soup, bread, fruit and a bottle of water. They also will be given a bowl crafted by local children to take home as a symbolic reminder of the “empty bowls in our community that go unfilled every day.”
The bowls were made by a variety of students in area five, six and seven schools. There will also be a live and silent auction throughout the event.
Once an attendee picks up their bowl they can walk around the 22 representatives and choose from 30 unique soups. To keep the festivities alive there will be live performances all day from NRG, Band of Brothers and a multi-school choir directed by the PCHS Choir Director Christine Jackson.
The arrangement of the massive party at the train depot is also changing in a way that Heysek said should make everything flow more organically. In another wave of firsts, this will be the very first time the food bank will be selling an Empty Bowl cookbook, which features old pictures and recipes from prior events. The book is $10 and will hopefully become a cherished Plant City tradition.
The annual event connects hundreds to UFB and helps the community realize just how much the food bank is impacting those who call the area home. Focusing on “hand ups, not handouts,” the food bank was able to give out 1.3 million pounds of food last fiscal year, which Heysek said is practically double what they were able to offer when she came on board a few years ago.
They serve more than 3,500 people each and every month focusing on hunger and food relief for those in need. Their children’s food program is one of the largest undertakings for the organization and they have a special partnership with the local schools to allow those who face food insecurity to not have to worry about not eating when school is not in session or over the weekend.
They recently embarked on a partnership with the local HCC branch as well, which has allowed struggling college students to not forgo buying textbooks to have a meal. Haysek said one of the largest misconceptions is that if you can afford to go to college that means you can afford to buy food without any issues. Several studies have found that approximately 40% of all college students are suffering food insecurity.
Last fiscal year 49,240 individuals and 13,863 families were served from UFB of Plant City, according to the annual report. The demand is immense and often the food bank finds itself with empty shelves.
Heysek said there is a desperate need for shelf-stable food. Canned foods and dry goods are flying off their shelves as they continue to serve hundreds of cars every single business day. While produce helps add freshness to the meals it has to be distributed immediately to ensure it doesn’t go bad.
“That’s not a joke. When you see the empty shelves in our photos online, they’re really empty,” Heysek said. “We really are in need of some shelf-stable food.”
The community has always been there to support UFB and Heysek said she hopes that partnership will only continue to grow. They serve the “working poor,” according to Heysek. Many of those who benefit work full-time jobs or are single parents and between the cost of rent, insurance and mandatory bills there often isn’t enough to stretch to feed the family.
As the holidays approach UFB will also be providing turkey meals and start preparing for the students being out of school. The food bank also needs dependable volunteers. During summer months local students often pick up weekly shifts to volunteer, but once they return to class those shifts remain empty. There are only four paid employees at UFB so volunteers really are the foundation of the organization.
“People seem to be so supportive of what we’re doing,” Heysek said. “We are so thankful for our community and we hope that we are able to continue to serve the thousands that come through our doors every single month.