Signature Albany event Empty Bowls set to return

ALBANY — The joint Southwest Georgia Council on Aging/Albany Area Arts Council Empty Bowls fundraiser is one of those events that has engrained itself in the DNA of this southwest Georgia community.

As the agencies prepare to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the event that benefits specific programs with both, their executive directors agree that there is a communitywide “emotional attachment” to Empty Bowls that makes it much more than a way to contribute to their programs.

“Empty Bowls has, over the years, helped change the dynamic of the community,” Arts Council Executive Director Nicole Willis said. “There is emotional context, which leads to a feeling that we have to do it.”

Adds Council on Aging Executive Director Izzie Sadler, “As soon as we moved into the new year, people started calling, asking when we planned to do Empty Bowls this year. It’s important for our programs, but because this event has become such a part of the community, it does even more than raise money. When you look at the PR and community awareness impact, and the way this brings the community together, it means so much more.”

After a two-year hiatus brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, Empty Bowls — which offers participants various soups cooked by local restaurants and unique bowls created by area artisans — is moving this year to the new conference center at the Northwest Library branch. The event will be held March 8 from 11 a.m.-1 p.m., and tickets go on sale at the Council on Aging and Arts Council websites Wednesday.

Tickets are $30, and sales support the Council on Aging’s home-delivered meals program and allow the Arts Council to sponsor exhibit openings and provide opportunities to promote local artists.

Only 175 bowls will be sold this year.

“We delivered more than 158,000 meals last year,” Sadler said of the Council on Aging program. “A lot of people think we’re only delivering to those in poverty, but this program is for seniors who cannot prepare and serve their own meals.”

By outsourcing the meal preparation rather than cooking and preparing in-house, as its staff and volunteers had done in the past, the Council on Aging has managed to offer this service to many more individuals in need. Still, Sadler said, there is a waiting list of some 300 seniors.

“There’s never enough funding,” she said. “We get some money from state and federal programs, but it’s difficult to get food to all of these people who are lacking proper nutrition.”

Willis said her organization has begun to focus more on supporting and supplying the needs of local artists.

“Empty Bowls funds allow us to provide help for local artists, and that’s important in the community,” Willis said. “But I think it’s done even more by allowing our organizations to partner with others in the community: the restaurants, the artisans who make the bowls, the venues, everyone involved. We have awesome partnerships; that’s why we’re not white-knuckling it every year, worrying about the money.”

Empty Bowls is being held for the first time at a Dougherty Library System venue. It has, in the past, been held at the Albany Civic Center, at the Council on Aging, and at Albany State University.

“Coming off two years without Empty Bowls, there’s a feeling of rejuvenation surrounding the event this year,” Sadler said. “The Library System really stepped up to help this year; we’re looking forward to renewing the awesome partnerships we’ve developed.

“We’ve never sought sponsorships for this event; we don’t want to make those kinds of significant changes. This is just one of those signature events that impacts our entire community, all ages, all genders, all races. In a community that can at times be divisive, Empty Bowls brings the community together.”

The later date for Empty Bowls also is part of the plan behind bringing the event back to the community.

“We’ve always had Empty Bowls in January, after the holidays,” Willis said.

“We wanted a little cushion this year, so we moved it up a bit.

“I would like to remind everyone that we usually sell out, and in the past we have sold 400 tickets. Since we’re doing only 175 this year, I’d encourage everyone to get their tickets early. We won’t add more; they’ll be on sale as long as they last.”

Staff Photo: Carlton Fletcher