Fall 2024 Empty Bowl fundraiser supports food access at WSU and in Worcester

On November 12, the Urban Action Institute and the Urban Studies Department held our annual Empty Bowls fundraiser to raise awareness of food insecurity on our campus and in the broader Worcester community. The fundraiser is the culminating experience for students enrolled in the Urban Studies SNAP practicum, also known as the Hunger Outreach Team.

Our students worked so hard this year! They chose the theme: "Celebration
of Fall", cooked desserts, chose playlists, and solicited prizes from businesses all over the greater Worcester area to raffle off at our event. Chartwells--the dining service provider at WSU--supplied delicious soups and Panera donated heaps of bread.

We raised over $1,100 from this year's fundraiser! And thanks to funds from the Student Government Association to help cover the costs of the event, we were able to donate the whole amount.

Embodying the students' focus on the interconnections between hunger on our campus and hunger in the broader community, half of what we raised went to WSU's own Thea's Pantry and the other half we went to Friendly House in Worcester, a neighborhood center that has operated in the city since 1920 to support low income urban residents. The Urban Action Institute supports Friendly House's commitment to "principles of solidarity with and empowerment to those being served."

Diane Parker measures raffle tickets at the fundraiser

Rosie Demers doing outreach for the fundraiser

Dozens of raffle prizes at this year's Empty Bowl

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