Empty Bowls Lunch raises funds, awareness for Salvation Army

TUPELO, Miss. (WCBI) – An annual fundraiser showcased soups from local restaurants and helped raise awareness of hunger and homelessness in the region.

The 22nd annual Empty Bowls Lunch attracted thousands to the Tupelo Furniture Market.

That annual lunch was a fundraiser for the Tupelo Salvation Army and it included more than 50 vendors, with samples of soup for ticket holders.

The event is organized by the Salvation Army Women’s Auxiliary and helped the organization raise money for its work throughout the year.

“The Women’s Auxiliary puts all of this together, they get all of these vendors and they set for themselves a goal of 50 thousand dollars to try and raise because that runs our soup kitchen throughout the year, helps in our shelter and all of our other programs and it’s awesome to see all of these people coming together to help meet the financial needs but also it’s about awareness, understanding and being connected to needs that are in our community,” said Maj Ray Morton, of the Tupelo Salvation Army.

Each ticket holder got a piece of pottery as they left the Empty Bowls Lunch as a reminder of the work the Salvation Army does to help feed the hungry and get people off the street.