Mat-Su Empty Bowl event draws large turnout

PALMER — Many visitors gathered at the Palmer Train Depot for the 2023 Mat-Su Empty Bowl event hosted by Kids Kupboard, a local non-profit dedicated to ensuring every Alaskan child has access to nutritious meals.

"It was just a really great evening. I could not be happier," Kids Kupboard founder Lynette Ortolano said.

This was the fourth installment of the Mat-Su Empty Bowl annual event series. Ortolano said it was their first event since the start of the pandemic and it felt great to bring it back, especially with so much interest expressed across the community leading up to the event.

"People remembered to ask about it," Ortolano said. "I love that it's an event that the community looks forward to."

According to Ortolano, Empty Bowl events such as these are held across the nation. She said the main focus is to raise awareness for the ever present problem countless children face every day, an empty bowl on their dinner table.

"There's lots of them out there, lots of empty bowls," Ortolano said.

Ticket admission for this year's event included dinner and the opportunity to choose a handcrafted bowl and take it home. Ortolano said the bowls were created by UAA by UAA pottery students. It also featured a raffle with various items.

All proceeds from the event go toward Kids Kupboard's ongoing mission to distribute meals to local children in need.

It did not disappoint,"

Raised $26,000 higher than previous years

Increased over time

Ortolano said this is their largest fundraiser of the year, but the main goal is to bring awareness to childhood hunger.

"People can consider what they can do every day to help fix that problem," Ortolano said.

With the success of the 2023 Mat-Su Empty Bowl event and recent installation of a commercial kitchen at the Kids Kupboard headquarters, Ortolano said they're positioned to zero in on their ongoing mission to provide meals to Alaskan children and it's all thanks to their dedicated team of staff and volunteers, and the continuous stream of support from the public.

"All of what we do is such a community effort,"

To make sure kids don't fall through the cracks," Ortolano said.

For more information about Kids Kupboard, visit kidskupboard.org.

Contact Mat-Su Valley Frontiersman reporter Jacob Mann at jacob.mann@frontiersman.com