ELMIRA, NY – Catholic Charities of Chemung/Schuyler invites you to the 21st Annual Empty Bowls Luncheon being held on Tuesday, March 24, 2026, from 11:30 am to 1:00 pm at Notre Dame High School. As the largest fundraiser for the Samaritan Center, this event is designed to raise awareness of the effects of hunger and poverty in our community. Over the last twenty years, the Empty Bowls Luncheon has raised over $404,000 toward local poverty relief efforts.
This year’s event is generously sponsored in part by Gold Sponsors: The Hilliard Corporation and Kennedy Valve.
Empty Bowls stands out as a special event thanks to its collaboration with local potters, who create handmade, commemorative bowls for attendees contributing $50 or more. Catholic Charities also teams up with Barb and Mark McClure, owners of Barb’s Soups On Café in Elmira, to serve guests delicious homemade soup. It’s a wonderful blend of great food, beautiful craftsmanship, and meaningful community impact.
Tickets are $50 per person for lunch and a commemorative soup bowl created by a local art student or artisan. Get your tickets today as a limited number will be sold. For more information, contact Catholic Charities at 607-734-9784, or visit the event page at www.CatholicCharitiesCS.org.
The Empty Bowls Luncheon will include an impactful presentation, a door prize, and a raffle for a set of beautiful commemorative bowls donated by artisan Mary Purdy from Bethlehem, Pennsylvania.
The Samaritan Center operates a food pantry five days a week. In addition to food, personal hygiene items, diapers and wipes are also available. The Samaritan Center relies on volunteers to serve guests at the food pantry every day. If you are interested in volunteering, please visit the Catholic Charities website to sign up.
About Catholic Charities of Chemung/Schuyler: Catholic Charities provides support to individuals and families in our community to help them live a more self-reliant life. The agency specializes in emergency services and housing support. Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Rochester operates agencies serving twelve Western New York counties, from the Southern Tier to Rochester, including Catholic Charities of Chemung/Schuyler. For more information on services, please visit CatholicCharitiesCS.org or ccdor.org.