Empty Bowls is a popular, entertaining event that Second Harvest of South Georgia holds each summer to raise money for the Kids Cafe program.  The event features a well-known celebrity chef who prepares several dishes for the audience, as well as a selection or two from a local recipe contest from our community’s “at-home” chefs.  The event also features pottery selections from VSU art professor Michael Schmidt and his students that are available for purchase during a silent auction.  At then end of the event, the evening’s chef will autograph his/her latest cookbook for attendees, giving everyone a chance to meet the celebrity.  The event has become a mainstay for our community over the past 7 years and is the principal fundraiser for the Kids Cafe program.  Tickets may be purchased individually, by table, or by corporate sponsorship.  Tickets are usually available for purchase 2 months in advance of the event, so look for advertisements in your local newspaper and on local television stations in June of each year.  Prices depend upon event location and type of ticket/table desired.  

The Kids Cafe program currently provides more than 1,500 meals to children each night after school and over 4,500 meals a day during holidays, summer months, and school breaks.  There are 15 sites operating in 7 counties at this time.  The Kids Cafes cost more than $400,000 per year to operate and utilize 5 full-time employees.  Hot meals are prepared each day in the Don F. Reames Community Kitchen- a fully operational commercial kitchen- with the ability to produce over 5,000 meals each day.  Most of these children would not receive a hot meal if not for the efforts of our Kids Cafe staff and volunteers.  

All proceeds from the Empty Bowls event directly benefit the Kids Cafe program at Second Harvest of South Georgia, Inc.