Dallas, TX, Jan. 18, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The North Texas Food Bank (NTFB) will host the 24th Annual Empty Bowls fundraiser, presented by Kroger, on Thursday, February 29, 2024, from 6 – 9 p.m. The event will be held at the North Texas Food Bank’s Perot Family Campus in Plano and features delicious, bowl-friendly fare prepared by talented chefs and restaurants from across North Texas, while providing critical funds that support the North Texas Food Bank’s mission to close the hunger gap.
“The North Texas Food Bank is excited to invite the community to join our 24th Empty Bowls fundraising event in 2024 and is thankful to Kroger for its commitment to being our presenting sponsor and for their ongoing commitment to fighting hunger,” said Trisha Cunningham, President and CEO of the North Texas Food Bank. “Kroger has been a long-standing partner in our mission to bridge the hunger gap in North Texas and we could not have provided access to more than 144,000,000 meals last year without their assistance. Kroger’s dedication to supporting organizations like NTFB through donations of food and funds is a shining example of community partnership.”
The event will also feature an interactive shopping experience, raffle, and wine pull. In addition to great food and entertainment, each guest will be able to select a handcrafted bowl made by a local artisan to take home that serves as a reminder that not everyone has access to a full bowl.
Chef Dan Landsberg is serving as the Empty Bowls 2024 celebrity chef. Landsberg is a highly celebrated chef in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex with a rich culinary background that spans over two decades. His journey in the culinary world has been marked by diverse experiences, ranging from wholesome casual cuisine to five-star dining and farm-to-table concepts. Landsberg's tenure includes roles at prestigious establishments like Circle T Ranch and HALL Arts Hotel, where he served as Executive Chef. Dan's innovative approach to food, combined with his commitment to quality and flavor, makes him a standout figure in the culinary scene and a valuable addition to the Empty Bowls event.
All proceeds from Empty Bowls provide critical funds to support the North Texas Food Bank’s programs. A recent USDA study showed that Texas is the second hungriest state in the nation, and in fact, the 13 counties that the North Texas Food Bank serves have the fourth highest number of people who face food insecurity across the country. In North Texas, about 640,000 people don’t know where their next meal will come from, and tragically more than one-third of those are children. The number of people facing hunger in North Texas could fill the Globe Life Stadium 16 times. This signature event has helped the NTFB provide access to more than 7.2 million meals!
“Kroger is proud to once again be the presenting sponsor of North Texas Food Bank’s Empty Bowls event,” said John Votava, Director of Corporate Affairs for Kroger’s Dallas Division. “Additionally, Kroger provides millions of meals and extra resources each year to NTFB as part of our Zero Hunger Zero Waste social and environmental impact plan, ensuring that our neighbors in North Texas have access to fresh, nutritious food.”
Tickets to the 21 and older Empty Bowls event can be purchased for $100 and each ticket sold helps NTFB provide 300 meals for neighbors facing hunger. To purchase tickets, go to https://ntfb.org/emptybowls/.
“We simply could not do what we do in the fight against hunger without the support of our sponsors: Kroger, Ewing Buick GMC, Pollock Orora, Verizon, Trey and Susan Bize, Betsy and Mark Kleinman, Equality Health, Grant Thornton, Apexon, McLane Food Services, 4Change Energy, Ben E. Keith, Trinity Ceramics, Dallas Area Woodturners and Alphagraphics,” continued Cunningham. “In addition, we are grateful for the partnership of Chef Dan Landsberg, the talented chefs and restaurants from across North Texas that are preparing food, and the local artisans that are donating handcrafted bowls for the event. Their generosity will help raise the awareness and funds to support our mission of closing the hunger gap in North Texas.”
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About North Texas Food Bank
The North Texas Food Bank (NTFB) is a top-ranked non-profit hunger-relief organization that sources, packages and distributes food through a network of about 500 Partner Agencies and organizations across 13 North Texas counties. The organization also provides food to children, seniors and families through various direct-delivery programs, including mobile pantries.
In its last fiscal year, the NTFB provided access to more than 144 million nutritious meals or nearly 400,000 meals a day, a 5% percent increase over the prior year. The North Texas Food Bank is designated a 4-Star Exceptional organization by Charity Navigator based on its governance, integrity and financial stability, and is ranked 89th on Forbes 2023 Top 100 Charities in America. NTFB is a member of Feeding America, the nation’s largest hunger-relief organization. For more information, www.ntfb.org.
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