For the first time in five years, YWCA Peterborough Haliburton is bringing back our much-loved local fundraiser, Empty Bowls, for an in-person seated lunch event.
Taking place on Friday, February 23 at The Venue in downtown Peterborough, Empty Bowls will raise funds to support the Nourish food program operated by the YWCA, which provides fresh food at affordable costs to families experiencing hunger.
“As we celebrate the 20th anniversary of this wonderful event, we are thrilled to be able to return to sharing food together with our community,” says YWCA Executive Director Kim Dolan. “Food insecurity is a critical health issue and a core barrier for women experiencing gender-based violence. The majority of our food box recipients are single mothers, and we’re so grateful to our partners, sponsors, and everyone who joins us for Empty Bowls to help women feed their families and live their lives with dignity.”
The Nourish program offers food box deliveries, educational workshops, food preparation skill-building, and community gardening. Thanks to the support of the community, we distribute about 260 food boxes each month to individuals and families around the Peterborough area. Nourish also runs a weekly market at Curve Lake First Nation, bringing high quality produce from local farms to the community at affordable prices.
Tickets are available at https://ywcapeterborough.akaraisin.com/ui/EmptyBowls2024 or by calling the YWCA at 705-743-3526.
Doors will open at 11:30 am for Early Bird VIP ticket holders ($75), for best selection of lunch options and bowls, and 12:00 pm for General Admission ticket holders ($60).
The ticket price includes one lunch meal to enjoy on-site and a one-of-a-kind ceramic or wooden bowl, hand-crafted and generously donated by local artisans. We have an exciting variety of local restaurants participating, some returning from past years and some brand-new to Empty Bowls, and we thank all of our restaurant vendors for their generous contributions.
YWCA Peterborough Haliburton is grateful to our 2024 Empty Bowls sponsors, including our Presenting Sponsor, Cornerstone Family Dentistry; our Location Sponsor, The Venue; our Media Sponsor, KawarthaNOW; and our Bowl Partners, the Kawartha Potters Guild and Kawartha Woodturners Guild.