Dallas, Feb. 01, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- After an almost two-year hiatus, the North Texas Food Bank (NTFB) will host the 23rd Annual Empty Bowls fundraiser, presented by Kroger, on Thursday, February 23, 2023, 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.
“We are so excited to welcome back this opportunity to engage with the community through our Empty Bowls event and are thankful for the commitment of our presenting sponsor, Kroger, for its ongoing support of the North Texas Food Bank,” 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 provide children, adults and seniors a hunger-free future. With the current elevated need for food assistance, Kroger’s generosity and dedication to lifting up those in need is a bright spot in our enduring fight against hunger.”
The event will also feature live entertainment, as well as an interactive shopping experience and silent auction. 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.
Uno Immanivog, chef and owner of Red Stix Street Food, is serving as the Empty Bowls 2023 celebrity chef and has been instrumental in securing new chefs and food stations in addition to the many longtime Empty Bowls favorites. In addition to being the visionary of Chef Uno Brands & Catering, she is a board member of Ashford Inc, a Chef's Collective member for Schwan's and serves on the North Texas Food Bank Advisory Council. Chef Uno will provide a cooking demonstration at the Empty Bowls event.
All proceeds from Empty Bowls provide critical funds to support the North Texas Food Bank’s programs. With inflation rates at their highest point in 40 years, the North Texas Food Bank has seen a 15 percent increase in meals delivered to North Texans since March of 2022, providing access to an average of more than 12 million meals each month. In North Texas, nearly 700,000 people face hunger and tragically this includes more than 250,000 children, or one in every five in the region, giving the NTFB service area the 4th highest level of food-insecure children in the country. This signature event has helped the NTFB provide access to more than 6.5 million meals!
“Kroger is proud to join the North Texas Food Bank to tackle hunger in North Texas,” said John Votava, Director of Corporate Affairs for Kroger’s Dallas Division. “Through our Zero Hunger | Zero Waste social and environmental impact plan, we established a long-standing partnership with NTFB, ensuring that our neighbors in North Texas have ample access to fresh, nutritious food.”
Tickets to Empty Bowls are on sale for $60 and each ticket sold helps NTFB provide 180 meals for neighbors facing hunger. To purchase tickets, go to https://ntfb.org/empty-bowls/.
“We simply could not do what we do in the fight against hunger without the support of our sponsors: Kroger, Ewing Buick GMC, McLane Foodservice, 4Change Energy, Grant Thornton, Trey and Susan Bize, Baylor Scott & White Heart and Vascular Hospital - Dallas, Berry Family Services, Charles Schwab, AMN Healthcare, Apexon, Benson Chow, Equality Health, Betsy and Mark Kleinman, and Alphagraphics,” continued Cunningham. “In addition, we are grateful for the partnership of Chef Uno Immanivong, 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 the North Texas Food Bank:
The North Texas Food Bank (NTFB) is a top-ranked nonprofit hunger-relief organization that sources, packages and distributes food through a diverse network of more than 400 feeding partners including food pantries and community 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 nearly 137 million nutritious meals, a 9% percent increase over the prior year. In response to the ongoing elevated hunger crisis, the organization has launched a $500 million campaign, Nourish North Texas, to provide more food for today and hope for tomorrow by addressing the barriers to food security that our neighbors face.
