For immediate release: March 26, 2011

BLOOMSBURG — Baked potato, white chicken chili and spicy creole chicken are some of the soups that will be served at Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania’s Empty Bowls Banquet, Sunday, April 3, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. in Kehr Union Ballroom.

The fee is $5 for students, $10 for adults and free for children under 5 years old.

Since 2003, the annual banquet has raised funds to support the Bloomsburg Food Cupboard. Last year, $4,000 was donated to the local organization.

The main idea of the Empty Bowls Banquet is to bring hunger awareness to the local community, said Christine DeRosa, graduate assistant in BU’s SOLVE Office. Gourmet soups, made and donated by local restaurants, are served in handcrafted bowls that diners may take home as a reminder that some area residents do not have enough to eat.

The bowls were designed and created by local artists Dave and Deb Stabley. A soup tureen created by the Stableys will be raffled at the end of the event with proceeds benefiting the food cupboard.

The menu will include homemade desserts, DeRosa added. Activities are planned for small children and local musicians will perform.

For information, contact DeRosa at stvolser@bloomu.edu.

Bloomsburg University is one of 14 universities in the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education. The university serves approximately 9,000 students, offering comprehensive programs of study in the colleges of Education, Business, Liberal Arts and Science and Technology.