November is a busy time for our community events team with an increase in Food & Fund Drives and other special events.  It’s exciting to see old-time favorites like CANstruction and Austin Empty Bowl Project as well as some new faces. We want to give a special high-five to the University of Texas students as a shining example of how to create a compelling, creative and successful drive (and we have some tips to share, too).

1.  You don’t have to do it alone.

Find some allies to expand your reach and impact.  The University of Texas’ Fall 2010 Community Nutrition Class, Nutrition and Wellness Association, Nutrition Graduate Students Association came together to sponsor a Food Drive. This Food Drive runs from November 12 – 19 and is expected to raise several hundred pounds of food.

2. Make a statement and be bold.

Their drive, “This is Not a Supermarket: Food Drive,” uses imagery to drive home the reality of dumpster diving, urban foraging (or it’s alternative cousin - Freeganism). It’s a powerful message about what our social norms should be when it comes to food security and hunger.

3. It’s ok to be funny.

Community Nutrition Class students, Solomon Wang and Kirbey Krawczyk made this highly entertaining video, just perfect for their audience of college students.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hn_SOqnV92M]

4.  Use a variety of online tools to promote your message.

In addition to the YouTube video, and the School of Human Ecology website , they created a  Facebook note on their page to explain the drive and the impact the donations will make. With the click of the share button, it’s easy for Facebook fans to spread the word.

5. Make it easy to participate.

This is where having a coalition of supporters for your drive really helps.  UT students provide multiple locations to drop off food by strategically placing food drop boxes (which we’re happy to provide for you for free) in high-traffic areas.  Don’t want to lug around cans? No worries.  They’re also selling cans throughout the drive.

For a no checks, no stamps, no hassle food  drive, consider starting a virtual food drive with us.  It’s easy and free!

Food drop box locations:

East basement of Gearing Hall
Gearing Great Hall
Gearing Hall, Room 105
Painter Hall, Room 5.56
Seay Hall, Room 1.440
Simply Fit Meals off of 24th and Nueces behind Starbucks.

Cans are sold in Gearing during the hours of:

For more tips on making a successful Food & Fund Drive and to register, click on the Raise Food & Funds link on the austinfoodbank.org home page.  Good luck, and thank you!

by Rebecca Scofield, Austin Community Relations Coordinator for Whole Foods Market

I’m thrilled to report that our 5% Day raised more than $16,000 for the Austin Empty Bowl Project and the Capital Area Food Bank!  Despite the chilly, drizzly weather we had a strong turnout of guests, media coverage, and fantastic live music throughout the day. Thanks to CAFB staff, Tasty Bite, Tom’s Tabooley and Cafe Josie, who helped us share CAFB’s mission, and help with the bowl throwing and painting, and support our Community Giving Day. We’re so appreciative to everyone who volunteered their time and talents for this day including the amazing potters who threw 250 lbs of clay and all the musical performers that kept our spirits high throughout the day. Some photo highlights:

Bowl Painting, and drawings for Preview Party tickets and a gorgeous quilt by Nancy Elder.

Food bloggers Kristi Willis of Austin Farm to Table and Jodi Bart of Tasty Touring painting bowls .

Stan Irvin, Professor of Art at St. Ed’s, and a wonderful ceramic artist, spent his day with us.

Stan was a patient teacher to FOX 7’s Joe Bickett, who tried his hand on the wheel.

We invited our vendors who also support the Austin Empty Bowl Project to join us for demos during the day – here’s Tom and Bridgette of Tom’s Tabooley and Chef Charles of Café Josie .

Thanks also goes to Tasty Bites who joined us for some tasty samples.

Fantastic live music ALL DAY!   The weather brought it inside, but our guests loved it. Uncle Lucious and Warren Hood here…

Here are the painted bowls These colors will be bright and shiny when fired.  Our guests and team members painted lots of bowls to be donated to the main event on November 21^st.

Hester and Kris with yours truly – the unstoppable forces behind AEBP  Can you believe we were still THIS happy at the end of the loooong day!? !

And the cutest little chef!

Thank you all so much for your time and effort in helping us support AEBP and CAFB . We’ll see you at the big event on November 21^{st .}

Shop and eat at either Austin-area Whole Foods Market store (Lamar or Gateway) on Wednesday, November 3, when 5% of sales will benefit the Austin Empty Bowl Project – an event benefiting the Capital Area Food Bank’s Kids Cafe program.

You can nourish hungry central Texas children while taking care of your own shopping list and grabbing a bite to eat!

We’ll have information on the Austin Empty Bowl Project (Sunday, November 21), bowls for you to decorate for the event, potters throwing bowls on the wheel, photo opportunities, live music and a free drawing for two Preview Party tickets ($150.00 value). You’ll also see this year’s fabulous quilt by Nancy Elder, as well as sample foods from some of our sponsors.

Bowl decorating at the Lamar store is from 9 a.m. – 7 p.m. and at Gateway from 11 a.m. – 2 p.m. ($5 per bowl.)

Tickets for the quilt drawing are $1 each.

Enter for a chance to win the 2 Preview Party tickets – it’s free to enter! Winners will be announced Nov. 4.

Live Performances at Whole Foods Market – Lamar

7 – 8 a.m.         Woode Wood

10 – 11 a.m.     Idgy Vaughn

11 – noon         Effinghammer

noon – 1 p.m.   Michael O’Connor

1 – 2 p.m.         MilkDrive

2 – 3 p.m.         Warren Hood and the Goods

3 – 4 p.m.         Uncle Lucius

4 – 5 p.m.         Havilah Rand

5 – 7 p.m.         In the Pocket

7 – 8 p.m.         Distant Cousins

Howdy from the Empty Bowl Project! We’re hanging out at the Mexican American Cultural Center from 11 a.m. – 3 p.m. Come on out and enjoy some cool pottery, great soups and good times. Proceeds benefit hungry Central Texas children.

Choosing the perfect bowls

You’re invited to the 12th Annual Empty Bowl Project, Sunday, November 23rd, from 11 a.m. – 3 p.m. at the Mexican American Cultural Center.

One of Austin’s favorite, family-friendly events, Empty Bowl Project, has provided local potters, musicians and restaurants the opportunity to help hungry Central Texans for over a decade.

This year’s event is held in a new location and includes local artistry, food, music and fun. The restaurant line-up includes Cissi’s Market, La Madeline, Mandola’s, Guero’s and many more.

Charles Mays with Cafe Josie, and Susan Castle and Big Jye with KGSR serve up the soup

Here’s how it works: choose your favorite locally hand-crafted bowl(s) at $15 each, get your bowl washed and fill it with your pick of delicious soup and bread donated by local chefs.

Proceeds benefit the Food Bank. For more information click here.

See you there!