A little soup, a little bread, and a lot of compassion--that's the recipe for Empty Bowls Schoharie County.
The sixth annual Empty Bowls, which raises money for local food pantries, will be this Sunday, 11am-3pm, at Cobleskill-Richmondville High School.
Open to the public, Empty Bowls has visitors buy a decorated bowl and get soup and bread from more than 20 participating restaurants.
Proceeds from the event go to Schoharie County's 15-plus food pantries.
Organizer Jacqui Hauser had clubs, families, Scouts, students and others paint the bowls over the past few months. She has more than 700 ready for Sunday.
"What I love about this is that it gives people who don't often have an opportunity to help to do so," said Ms. Hauser.
"Kids feel like they're doing something for other children, and they are."
Last year's Empty Bowls raised $7,200, and "I'd love to do that again," Ms. Hauser said.
One in 12 people go hungry nationally and in Schoharie County, too, Ms. Hauser said. While many worry about children suffering, elderly do as well.
"Think of 12 people at a meeting and knowing one of them not having enough to eat," she said. "We have to work at that."
Empty Bowls is more than soup, bread and bowls. Stewart's is donating ice cream for sundaes, and there's a large silent auction.
And this year's Empty Bowls will feature plenty of music:
•11am, The Onlys, a group led by Cobleskill-Richmondville senior Zoe Stinson and including other C-R students and grads.
•Noon, blues guitarist Mike Hermann.
•1pm, Becca Frame and the Tall Boys will play rhythm and blues and rock.
•2pm, The Red Haired Strangers will play traditional Americana and original songs.
Empty Bowls will be in the high school cafeteria.
"The high school has been awesome, and Cobleskill-Richmondville is so welcoming," Ms. Hauser said.
"It should be a great time, as always."