Empty Bowls soup fundraiser at Buehler’s Milltown

The local nonprofit, A Whole Community, has once again teamed up with Buehler’s Fresh Foods to offer a take-home meal that helps feed those in need. In addition, participants can choose to purchase a pottery bowl that adds an additional donation.

A Whole Community’s Empty Bowls drive-thru soup fundraiser will take place Thursday, Sept. 29 from 3:30-6:30 p.m. in the front parking lot at Buehler’s Milltown, 3540 Burbank Road, Wooster (follow the signs). The $12 cost includes soup, rolls and a doughnut, and pottery bowls are available for an additional $12 donation.

“I’m excited about the 2022 Empty Bowls drive-thru soup fundraiser,” said Karen Potter, executive director of A Whole Community Inc. “I’m grateful to Buehler’s for once again providing the food and am also thankful for Jack Rogers for continuing to donate the pottery bowls.”

A Whole Community was established in Wooster in 2016 with a mission of assessing the needs of the community and developing sustainable projects that address multiple needs. Additionally, the goal is to create an environment that fosters wholeness — financially, relationally, physically, spiritually and emotionally — for individuals, families and communities.

In a previous position, one component of Potter’s work involved overseeing community health assessments in Wayne, Holmes and Ashland counties. According to Potter, an assessment conducted in 2016 showed many were reaching out to food pantries, free community meals and federal nutrition programs. Although this area has an abundance of fresh produce, access to and affordability of fresh vegetables and fruits were not easy for those with low income.

Thus began A Whole Community’s Community Food Project to develop solutions to provide farm-fresh produce to those in need. After discovering much surplus or seconds produce was ending up in compost, the nonprofit teamed up with area farmers to offer a better solution for both farmers and those in need of whole, healthy foods.

The project began with A Whole Community providing boxes to farmers that they could fill up with donated produce along with encouraging them to find outlets to sell their seconds.

In the past two years, farmers’ costs have risen, and A Whole Community has adapted the project in order to provide as much support as possible to local food producers. They now offer farmers the choice of donating their produce or receiving pay for a portion of it.

After benefiting from The College of Wooster’s soup and bread dinner in 2019, A Whole Community began its own Empty Bowls Supper with the addition of having a local potter donate bowls for purchase. During the pandemic Buehler’s helped to recreate the event as a drive-thru.

“I enjoy this approach,” Potter said, “because I get to personally greet each car and thank them for coming.”

This will mark the fourth year Jack Rogers, a local potter, has donated all the bowls for the supper.

“The bowls are hand-thrown on a potter’s wheel and fired in a kiln,” Rogers said. “I normally do some extra carving on the outside of each of the bowls. While I’m creating a bowl, I frequently think of the person that will soon be using it for soup or cereal or ice cream. I strive to make each one a little special.”

The bowls are food safe and can be put into a freezer, dishwasher and microwave.

Buehler’s will host the event for the third time this year and donate all the food and staffing.

“As a local grocery store chain, it’s important for us to be involved in our local communities and address hunger needs,” said Jen Hudson, marketing director for Buehler’s Fresh Foods.

The event will be set up in front of the Buehler’s Milltown location with a marked entrance and exit next to the grocery pickup. “Customers will drive up to the pottery table and food truck, give their order, pay, and be served within minutes without having to leave their vehicle,” Hudson said.

The meal consists of a choice of 16 ounces of soup, dinner rolls, and a cider and spice doughnut. Soup options are chicken noodle, chili, clam chowder and vegan chipotle.

“Despite the name, vegan chipotle is not spicy,” Hudson said. “Our soups and cider and spice doughnuts are made from scratch. Enjoy a freshly prepared meal and support a great mission.”

A Whole Community is in need of both cash donations and volunteers. They also need a newer box delivery truck to continue to make deliveries of fresh produce. Potter’s husband, Charles Runion, donates his time as a driver.

To volunteer or reach out regarding a truck, email Potter at karen948@gmail.com. Cash donations may be made online or via a check to A Whole Community, P.O. Box 1078, Wooster, OH 44691.

There is no prepurchase of tickets. In the past they have run out of some soups, and the pottery bowls always sell out.

Find A Whole Community online at www.awcinc.org/ or Facebook at A Whole Community Inc.