On behalf of the Foodbank of Santa Barbara County, it is with great excitement that we announce the return of our community loved Empty Bowls event in Santa Maria. Our 23rd annual Santa Maria Empty Bowls will take place on October 16, 2024 at the Santa Maria Fairpark. 

Empty Bowls demonstrates the value in feeding and nourishing one another with a simple meal of soup from a handmade bowl. Each guest takes a bowl home as a reminder of the meal's purpose: to help feed the hungry in our community. 

This year’s event will include everyone’s favorite Empty Bowls traditions—including the soup luncheon, beautiful bowls by local artists, and of course, the ever-popular raffle.
 

The raffle is an important feature of the event, increasing the amount of funds raised for the Santa Maria community. Guests and volunteers appreciate the opportunity to acquire some fantastic items, while you can enjoy added visibility of your products and/or services. We are hoping that you might be willing to offer a donation to our raffle this year. We welcome both small and large items, food and wine items, and gift cards/certificates. Contributors can provide business cards or flyers for display at the event, and they will be thanked in our event program.
 

Each year, this event raises close to $50,000 to help the Foodbank provide the food and nutrition education Santa Maria residents need to lead healthful, dignified lives. We ask that you consider a raffle prize donation to help make the return of this event a huge success.