Empty Bowls to feed hungry

What: Empty Bowls Supper

Who: El Dorado Peace and Justice Community

Where: St. Patrick Church, Sacramento and Fisk streets in Placerville

When: Saturday, Nov. 3 from 4:30 to 8 p.m.

Cost: $15 per person

Information: Maureen Dion-Perry at dionperry@att.net

Approximately 850 million people world wide are malnourished, according to the World Hunger Organization — and children are the most visible victims.

Last year, the Empty Bowls Supper in El Dorado County, sponsored by the El Dorado Peace and Justice Community, raised more than $13,000 to feed the hungry.

The Empty Bowls Supper will be held again this fall at St. Patrick Church, Sacramento and Fisk streets in Placerville, from  4:30 to 8 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 3.

For a donation of $15 or more, participants will receive a meal of homemade soup, served in a hand-made bowl that the diner may keep, bread and a beverage.

The members of the El Dorado Peace and Justice Community are grateful for the support for this event. Even in these difficult economic times, the generosity of the community continues.

The business community donates food, drinks and more than 100 silent auction items. The soup and some of the bread is made by members of the community.

Most of the volunteers who set-up, serve and clean-up for the supper are from the service clubs at  local schools including El Dorado and Ponderosa Key Clubs, Markham Middle School, Cedar Springs Waldorf School and local Girl Scouts and Brownies troops.

Student and professional potters make the keepsake bowls that participants take home.

Over the years this event has become more and more “trashless” with real silverware and napkins. Almost everything is recycled from cardboard and plastic to food scrapings.

Last year around 450 people attended the supper with more than 200 volunteers working together to make it happen.

Each year two organizations that feed the hungry receive the funds raised — one local and one international.

The Upper Room Dining Hall in Placerville has been the local recipient for many years. It provides 130 dinners every day to hungry people in the community.

The international humanitarian organization receiving the funds changes each year.

Past recipients include Children’s Hope of Haiti, Miracles in Guatemala, Heiffer, Mercy Corps and Oxfam. El Porvenir will be this year’s recipient.

The parish hall at St. Patrick Church provides a large and inviting place for the Empty Bowls Supper and the wonderful music of Coloma Celtic and Jonny Mojo provide a festive atmosphere.

For more information, to make donations or to get involved, contact Maureen Dion-Perry at dionperry@att.net.