submitted by Brian Bushner
Students in Megan Conner’s Ceramics classes have been hard at work crafting bowls for the Empty Bowls event happening in the high school cafeteria on April 16 starting at 6 pm. The event is designed to tie art with hunger awareness and benefits the Hoosick Area Church Association (HACA) food pantry.
Diane Hosterman, HACA Director, gave the students and Conner a tour of the facility, explaining how the process works and how many people are served by the food pantry.[private]
Senior Alyssa Ellis said, “Visiting the Food Pantry made me feel sad yet relieved at the same time. I felt sad knowing that there are over 100 families in the area that need assistance. I felt relieved we have such great people in the community that volunteer to help others and to make sure nobody feels left out or forgotten. Going there made me realize that our Empty Bowls project is well worth it and so many people appreciate the time and effort the ceramics classes put into making these bowls for people. They are going to help families and show people there are individuals out there that care.”
Sophomore Kylie Gress said, “Visiting the food pantry helped me understand how many families are truly helped through the only food pantry in Hoosick to get their everyday needs like napkins, water, soap, food, and many things that people take for granted. Being part of the Empty Bowls project shows me how much one person can impact the lives of many.” Art teacher Conner said, “I’m really glad some of our students had the chance to visit the Food Pantry today and learn how it serves the needs of many families in our community. These kids have been working hard for weeks to make beautiful ceramic bowls for our upcoming Empty Bowls fundraiser, so my hope is that today’s visit will help them better understand the goal of the fundraiser — fighting hunger in our community.”
The HACA Food Pantry serves over 100 families, totaling over 300 people. The average monthly food order from the Regional Food Bank (from whom HACA purchases much of their food) was 3,400 pounds. The food pantry is open Mondays and Fridays from 10 am to noon, and Wednesdays from 6:30 to 8 pm.
In addition to feeding the community, HACA also offers free tax preparation services to those who need them. HACA has operated a food pantry in Hoosick for over 40 years.
The Empty Bowls event is being hosted by Hoosick Falls CSD and is a partnership with Hoosac School and Saint Mary’s Academy. More information will be shared about this event in the coming weeks.[/private]