SARASOTA, FL – After two years off due to the pandemic, All Faiths Food Bank was thrilled to bring back one of its most popular fundraisers: Bowls of Hope. This year, nearly 900 caring members of the community attended the event – held again at Ed Smith Stadium – which raised $140,000 to help support the distribution of holiday meals for our neighbors in need.
During Bowls of Hope, nearly 40 of the community’s finest restaurants and caterers served delicious soups, breads, desserts, and more. Guests selected beautiful, handcrafted bowls – all donated by local potters, artists, and students – to keep, while enjoying a modest meal as a reminder of the empty bowls they were helping to fill. Guests were charmed as the Oriole Bird, the mascot of the venue host Baltimore Orioles, wandered on-site, cheerfully tweeting away and posing for selfies with fans of all ages.
This year’s event featured a new, expanded layout for guests to enjoy. Chair was Patti Wertheimer; lead sponsors included Keith Monda and Veronica Brady, Ron and Jo Jadin, Linda Monda, Al Pezzillo, and Dona and Sam Scott.
“We were so thrilled – and on such a beautiful day – to gather as a community, once again, during what has become one of our signature events,” said All Faiths Food Bank’s CEO Sandra Frank. “The challenges of the past few years have been nonstop and the need for assistance continues to be overwhelming; we are so grateful for the community’s support, which is needed now more than ever.”
This year, All Faiths expects to distribute more than 13,000 turkeys and 3.6 million holiday meals in order to share the joys of the season with those who may be struggling. For more about All Faiths Food Bank, visit allfaithsfoodbank.org.
About All Faiths Food Bank
All Faiths Food Bank is the only food bank and largest hunger relief organization in Sarasota and DeSoto counties, providing millions of meals each year with nearly 200 agencies and programs throughout the community. All Faiths works not only to fight hunger today but also strives to end hunger – forever – by helping families and individuals gain long-term food security, enjoy better health outcomes, and achieve self-sufficiency. In 2021, All Faiths distributed 19 million pounds of food – equating to 17 million meals, provided 36% more meals than 2019 (pre-pandemic), and remained steadfast in its commitment to provide nutritional assistance to community members, including 44% who were new to the food bank. For its efforts, All Faiths was honored as the 2021 “Nonprofit of the Year” by the Sarasota Chamber of Commerce; the organization was also recognized as a Top 4 Food Bank in the country in 2020. All Faiths is rated 4 stars by Charity Navigator and is a member of the Feeding America and Feeding Florida networks. For more information visit allfaithsfoodbank.org.