FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Mary Anne Sullivan – 917-439-6629
All Saints Episcopal Day School and Hoboken Charter School Team Up to Fight Hunger with ‘Empty Bowls’ Events on May 7
Students from All Saints Episcopal Day School and Hoboken Charter School are learning about and striving to address hunger and homelessness, and on Saturday, May 7, will ask the community to join their crusade. As part of the international Empty Bowls project, schools will each host simple meals that day, with the events intended to raise awareness and collect funds, food and other necessities for a range of local charities that help those in need.
Students from both schools will be crafting bowls that serve as a reminder that, unfortunately, somewhere someone’s bowl is always empty. All Saints students will give their handmade bowls to those joining their breakfast scheduled for 8:30-11 a.m. at the school campus at 707 Washington Street. Donations will be accepted at the event.
The Hoboken Charter School lunch will take place at noon at the Hoboken Shelter at 300 Bloomfield Street. Tickets – $10 for individuals or $25 per family – can be purchased in advance at the school, or at the event itself. In addition to a simple lunch, attendees will receive a bowl handmade by a Hoboken Charter School student.
Students from both schools will also be around town at supermarkets and other locations on May 7, with the Hoboken Charter School children collecting canned food and dry goods while the All Saints students solicit needed toiletries. All proceeds from both schools’ activities will be pooled and donated to the Hoboken Shelter, St. Matthew’s Lunchtime Ministry Program and the “In Jesus Name” Emergency Food Pantry in Hoboken.
Leading up to the Empty Bowls events, students at the schools are studying hunger and homeless issues, especially pertinent in these tough economic times in the United States, where 1 in 50 children are homeless. While classroom lessons leading up to Empty Bowls day extend to global charities such as UNICEF and their support for relief efforts in Japan, the Hoboken Charter School and All Saints activities on May 7 will be devoted solely to local charities.
“This year’s Empty Bowls will explore the causes of homelessness,” said Hoboken Charter School Learning Director SK Duff, “but more importantly it is all about students being empowered by service to change the world for the better by helping to solve problems that we face as a community and world.”
All Saints Head of School Jill Singleton said Empty Bowls fits with the school’s mission to provide opportunities for children to participate in service projects in their community. “Empty Bowls is especially gratifying because students can make a direct human impact,” Singleton said, “and at the same time, they see the power in joining forces across the community to do good.”
The students’ hard work is definitely appreciated, according to Hoboken Shelter Director Jaclyn Cherubini, who told the schools, “We couldn’t do it without super supporters like you. ”Meanwhile, one savvy student summed up his involvement in Empty Bowls by saying, simply, “It’s all about compassion.”