Our Daily Bread to Hold Empty Bowls Fundraiser

Fairfax-based nonprofit Our Daily Bread will be holding an Empty Bowls community fundraising event on Feb. 24 from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. to help struggling families throughout the county.

The event will be the first held at the new Stacy C. Sherwood Community Center, 3470 Old Lee Hwy., Fairfax. Handcrafted bowls made by local artists, high school and college students and others from the community will be available for $25 or more.

Attendees receive a soup and bread dinner donated by local businesses as a reminder of those going hungry in the community. Children are welcome for an admission of $10 or $20 for two or more children, though a bowl is not included. During the evening the Fairfax Saxophone Quartet will perform and raffles and silent auctions will be held.

According to Our Daily Bread, even though the recession is lifting, requests for assistance are still high. Many in the county who were dong well before the recession are struggling to regain what they had, and those who began the recession with little are having difficulties.

Our Daily Bread’s food program currently serves 60 families throughout the county, and an additional 60 are on the waiting list. Its financial assistance program has had to turn down about half a dozen requests for emergency rent or utility assistance each day.

ODB Executive Director Lisa Whetzel said, “Even though Fairfax County is repeatedly ranked among the wealthiest counties in America, we are hearing from an overwhelming number of residents who continue to struggle to feed and house their families."

Empty Bowls is a national grassroots program designed to help local organizations fight hunger, raise awareness about issues of hunger and help communities change attitudes toward hunger.

Our Daily Bread is a volunteer organization focused on easing the struggles of low-income residents in Fairfax County, drawing volunteers from local faith groups, community organizations, businesses, schools and more. For information visit www.our-daily-bread.org.