Larry Smith, Secretary for the Labor Council, brought the check to the Lewiston office.

The Lewis-Clark Valley Central Labor Council dropped off a $500 check at The Idaho Foodbank’s North Central branch in Lewiston to be used to help buy holiday turkeys. Thanks to everyone at the Labor Council. This is an important gift. It means families in the Valley that might have gone without will be able to enjoy a traditional holiday meal.

So many choices...

A bowl of his own.

Volunteers dished up amazing gourmet soup.

Sometimes you need a second opinion.

Fundraiser brings in $30,500

It was a cool but beautiful day in downtown Boise on Friday, and the spirit of giving was very much in evidence. The fourteenth annual Empty Bowls fundraiser set an income record of more than $30,567, a 22% increase from the $25,000 raised last year.

The funds raised will provide the equivalent of 91,701 meals.

The generosity was evident in the 1,600 bowls that people made and donated to make the event possible, in the hundreds of shoppers who waited in line to pick their favorite bowls, in the 40 peerless volunteers who gave up some of their Friday to help, in the restaurants who donated the gallons of fabulous gourmet soup and in the sponsors whose help was so crucial to this event.

And special credit goes to Andrew Coba, who, despite some cold fingers, played piano and sang for the folks in line. Andrew is one of 13 artists who donated a song to the Idaho Ho Ho Holiday CD which benefits the Foodbank. The CD is available throughout the Holiday season at Treasure Valley Moxie Javas and the Record Exchange or online at the Moxie Java website.

Our generous sponsors this year were Moxie Java, Albertsons/SuperValu, Idaho Power, Attorneys Against Hunger and Ceramica.

Our amazing soup donors this year were the Brick Oven Bistro, Dry Creek Mercantile, Arid Club, Riverside Hotel, Emilio’s, The Basque Market, Boise Centre, Table Rock Brew Pub, Highlands Hollow, Parilla Grill, 13th Street Pub, West Side Drive-In, Mai Thai, Cottonwood Grille, Lock Stock & Barrel, Chandlers Steakhouse and Zee Catering.

Our deep thanks to everyone who helped make this the most successful Empty Bowls ever.