Ashland Peace House fundraiser to help feed the hungry coming up Friday; tickets available at door

By Holly Dillemuth, Ashland.news

For those looking for a way to give back to the local community and a good place to have dinner Friday evening, Peace House in Ashland has just the ticket: the annual Empty Bowls fundraiser, which benefits Uncle Food’s Diner, Food Angels, and Jobs with Justice Peace Meals.

“It’s a long tradition,” said Elizabeth Hallett, director of Peace House, who has overseen the fundraiser for nearly a decade in Ashland.

For $25 per ticket for adults, attendees will receive one of more than 200 handcrafted ceramic bowls made locally at Talent Maker City and by other local artists. Celebrity servers will serve up a variety of different soups and breads donated by local eateries, as well as dessert made by local students. 

This year, Peace House is encouraging those who usually attend to invite someone new to come along and experience the local tradition that has been taking place in Ashland for many years.

The following soups will be served and donated by the following restaurants:

• Coconut squash curry (Pangea, Ashland)
• Pumpkin soup (Simple Cafe, Ashland)
• Tomato bisque (C. St. Bistro, Jacksonville)
• “Everything” soup (Artisan Eatery, Grants Pass)
• Bean and barley soup, Tom Ka Gai soup, Clam Chowder (Maren Faye)

In addition, an in-house vegan lentil soup and vegan pozole soup will be served, Hallett said.

Breads will be donated by Rise Up Bakery, LaBaguette and The Mix with brownies and cookies for dessert made by local students who attend the Uncle Food’s Diner meal, Hallett said.

Among those serving up soup this year will be state Rep. Pam Marsh (D-Ashland), Ashland Mayor Tonya Graham, Ashland City Councilors Gina DuQuenne and Bob Kaplan, Barry and Kathryn Thalden, Betty LaDuke, Megan Sisser, Micah BlackLight, Kristin Anderson and Michael Niemann.

“I think our celebrity servers (are) part of our style,” Hallett told Ashland.news in a phone interview.

“And we’re going to have some soft jazz music played by Joe Russell,” Hallett added, noting that Russell also serves as a custodian at the Methodist Church. “He’s around our Uncle Food’s Diner Project all the time, because we use the kitchen there at the Methodist Church in Wesley Hall.”

Uncle Food’s Diner Project, benefited by the fundraiser, serves an average of 70 meals from 4:30 to 6:30 every Tuesday afternoon at Trinity Episcopal Church, in addition to dozens of meals served up by Vanessa and Jason Houk of Southern Oregon Jobs with Justice, which, according to its website, sponsors the Ashland Community Peace Meal at 3:30 p.m. every Thursday and Friday at the gazebo in Lithia Park.

Hallett sees an increasing need to gather support through the Empty Bowls fundraiser. Some of that need can be tied to uncertainty around the federal government shutdown, which, if it continues through next week, will mean an end to SNAP benefits for individuals and families.

Hallett expressed that there is increased need this year for local nonprofit funding, too .

“Our donor base is suffering,” she said. “Grantors and individual donors are all very hesitant right now to spend a lot of money. We’re seeing a lower amount of funding coming in.

“Individuals, if they search their hearts and ask about what’s important and they’re able to donate, that’s the best way for us to support the community,” she added.

So far, Hallett said she’s seeing a good response in ticket sales and anticipates having 15 to 20 people volunteering to help with the Friday meal. 

Reach Ashland.news reporter Holly Dillemuth at [email protected].

Related story: Reader Photos: Empty Bowls, full hearts (Oct. 18, 2023)