Feast on fabulous soup and wine to benefit Pajaro Valley Loaves & Fishes

A scene from the 2007 Empty Bowls fundraiser for Pajaro Valley Loaves & Fishes

Empty Bowls, an annual dinner and auction featuring gourmet soup, wine, and more, benefits Pajaro Valley Loaves & Fishes.

The event takes place from 5-9pm on Saturday, October 15, 2011.

Tickets are $60 and available online or by calling Loaves & Fishes Executive Director Margarita Cortez at (831) 722-4144.

Location: The Lagoon House at Pajaro Dunes Shorebirds

This is the eight annual Empty Bowls. Local artists have generously donated nearly 100 one-of-a-kind handmade bowls. Each dinner attendee selects a bowl of his or her choice to take home, and the gets to feast on gourmet soup, salad, bread, and dessert. Beverages include wine (donated by vendors such as Soquel Vineyards and Alfaro Family Vineyards & Winery) and sparkling cider.

At Empty Bowls there will be live music by the Minor Thirds, plus live and silent auctions and a raffle. Live auction items include a cooking class for four led by Mimi Snowden (a renowned cooking teacher, restaurateur, and restaurant designer) and a week-long stay at Pajaro Dunes. Other prizes include golf, artwork, and wine tastings.

About the beneficiary organization: Loaves & Fishes is a community-supported food pantry and kitchen in Watsonville; services include providing a hot mid-day meal Monday through Friday every week of the year. Loaves and Fishes was founded in 1989; it helps people in need including migrant farm workers, poor working families, and individuals who are disabled, homeless, or elderly. In the last 4 years the organization has had increased numbers of people using its Food Pantry grocery program (up by 100%) and its Hot Lunch program (up by 60%). Loaves & Fishes raises 20% of its annual budget through Empty Bowls; if you’d like to help out in this time of great need buy your Empty Bowls ticket today or donate directly to Loaves and Fishes.

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