Empty Bowls fundraiser to support Lenawee County organizations, address food insecurities

Brad Heineman, The Daily Telegram
·3 min read

ADRIAN — Adrian Center for the Arts members, teachers and staff have been busy creating one-of-a-kind bowls to support this year’s Empty Bowls fundraiser, happening Wednesday, Feb. 7.

The ACA along with the Croswell Opera House and the First United Methodist Church are joining forces to support Empty Bowls, which allows for guests to purchase a bowl of soup and bread provided by the First United Methodist Church at a cost of $15-$30, a news release from the Adrian Center for the Arts said. The cost includes the price of the handmade bowl, along with the soup and bread.

Next week’s event will be 4:30-7 p.m. and will be held at the Croswell Opera House in downtown Adrian, 129 E. Maumee St. This year’s beneficiary of the fundraiser is Neighbors of Hope, which is having its own Comedy Night fundraiser on Saturday, Feb. 3, at the Tecumseh Center for the Arts.

Beth and John Kaverman of Onsted, look over the options of handmade bowls during Empty Bowls fundraiser hosted in April 2022 at Farver's at the Croswell. The fundraiser involved several community organizations working together to assist the hungry and homeless population in Lenawee County.
Beth and John Kaverman of Onsted, look over the options of handmade bowls during Empty Bowls fundraiser hosted in April 2022 at Farver's at the Croswell. The fundraiser involved several community organizations working together to assist the hungry and homeless population in Lenawee County.

In 2022, Empty Bowls sold more than 200 bowls and raised at least $4,000 to provide food for those in the Lenawee County community who are experiencing food insecurity.

“The need is even greater now,” the ACA said.

More: Tickets available for Neighbors of Hope’s Comedy Night at Tecumseh Center for the Arts

Neighbors of Hope is based in Adrian and strives to bring hope to those in need “through a suite of Christ-centered programs,” according to neighborsofhope.com. The nonprofit can be contacted by calling 517-265-4019.

In addition to Empty Bowls and raising awareness of food insecurity locally, the ACA’s first public art exhibition of the new year is titled “We Can,” which features sculptures created from canned goods that will be donated to Neighbors of Hope at the exhibit’s end.

Handmade bowls, which were created by artists, staff and ceramics students at the Adrian Center for the Arts were available for purchase April, 20, 2022, at Farver’s at the Croswell, 129 E. Maumee St., as part of the Empty Bowls fundraiser. Bowl prices ranged from $15-$30.
Handmade bowls, which were created by artists, staff and ceramics students at the Adrian Center for the Arts were available for purchase April, 20, 2022, at Farver’s at the Croswell, 129 E. Maumee St., as part of the Empty Bowls fundraiser. Bowl prices ranged from $15-$30.

“We Can” is currently on exhibit — beginning Jan. 21 — and continues through Feb. 25. Canned goods sculptures, which have been sponsored by the Lenawee Community Foundation’s Patrick Gill Empty Bowls Fund, can be viewed inside the Gallery at the Adrian Center for the Arts and inside the main floor of the Adrian District Library in downtown Adrian, 143 E. Maumee St.

Lastly, local photographer Lad Strayer worked with men residing in Riverside, Neighbors of Hope’s men’s transitional housing program, and through photography, these men were introduced to Adrian in a new way, the release from the ACA said.

More: Neighbors of Hope's Men's Ministry set to reopen at new Riverside Avenue location

“Twelve images were selected and will be on display during the ‘We Can’ exhibit,” the ACA said.

The Stubnitz Foundation is funding the 2024 galley season at the Adrian Center for the Arts, which provides arts education and resources to facilitate creative endeavors for people of all ages. The ACA is on the PlaneWave Instruments campus, across the street from the Lenawee Intermediate School District/Tech Center, 1375 N. Main St.

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The Adrian Center for the Arts can be found online at adriancenterforthearts.org. The organization provides a large fellowship of artists and volunteers “who enrich and cultivate an environment that has become a catalyst for creativity.” Classes are offered to people of all ages and skill levels.

— Contact reporter Brad Heineman at bheineman@lenconnect.com or follow him on X, formerly Twitter: twitter.com/LenaweeHeinemann.

This article originally appeared on The Daily Telegram: Empty Bowls fundraiser to address food insecurities in Lenawee County