Easton-native Naomi Hyman was working as a director at Evergreen Cove, a local non-profit, when a colleague gifted her a beautiful, hand-painted bowl. When Hyman inquired about where the bowl came from, she learned that it was purchased from Talbot County Empty Bowls, a 501(c) (3) organization which raises money to support organizations that address hunger in the community.
In 2009, Hyman started volunteering with Talbot County Empty Bowls and met Susan duPont, who joined the organization the year before. duPont, also an Easton resident, became involved with Talbot County Empty Bowls through her longtime friend Anna Harding, the founder of the organization. Both Hyman and duPont felt compelled to join the cause after learning the severity of food insecurity in their community.
“Hunger is a universal issue,” says duPont. “If you can’t eat, you can’t do much else. It was startling to learn how serious of an issue it is around here.”
Though Talbot County is one of the wealthiest counties in the nation, one in five children and one in 10 residents are food insecure. Over 40 percent of Talbot County Public School students receive free or reduced meals.
“I come from a very long line of Jewish mothers, and we love feeding people,” Hyman says. “The cause itself, the idea of feeding people, is very important to me.”
Hyman and duPont serve on Talbot County Empty Bowls’ planning committee, a small group of about 10 women. duPont co-chaired the committee for 10 years, before passing the torch to Hyman in late 2018. Prior to becoming chair, Hyman assisted with marketing communications, and helped with the construction and maintenance of the organization’s website and email communication system.
“Susan’s financial acumen as a certified financial planner has been invaluable in our efforts to increase ticket sales, contributions, donations, and sponsorships,” Anna Harding says. “And Naomi has used her tech-savvy innovation and energy to enhance our PR and outreach, which is the core of creating awareness about who we are and what we do.”
The planning committee’s primary task is organizing the annual Empty Bowls Community Dinner, which takes place every February. Local schools and businesses create, paint, and donate bowls to the event, and each attendee is served soup in a unique bowl that is theirs to keep. Kiln Born Creations, an Easton-based paint-your-own pottery shop, is responsible for over half of the donated bowls. The proceeds from the dinner are given to several local food pantries.
“The hope is that every time someone uses their empty bowl, they think of people that don’t know when their next meal is coming,” says duPont.
The dinner has two seatings, each accommodating 175 people. However, the organization usually receives upwards of 500 bowls. The leftover bowls are sold at local farmers’ markets. Local food pantries receive all the proceeds from the dinner and the sold bowls. Over the last decade, Talbot County Empty Bowls has distributed over $163,000.
“The fact that Susan and Naomi have been a part of Empty Bowls for a decade shows their commitment to the cause,” says Linda Mastro, a member of the planning committee. “They exemplify how to be good leaders and able community servants, which requires staying personally engaged and ensuring that no volunteer gets overextended.”
Both Hyman and duPont credit the community and their fellow planning committee members for the overall success of the dinner. Roughly 1,000 people contribute to the event in some capacity.
“There are restaurants that make the soup and donate bread, and people who make cookies, and serve soup, and set up the room, and paint the bowls,” Hyman says. “[The community] is not only making this event happen, but they’re raising their own awareness, and helping to raise awareness with other people.”
“I cherish the camaraderie of all the different people and organizations involved,” says duPont. “Our retaining of people is extraordinary because they believe in the cause, as well. I just find it extremely fulfilling.”
To learn more about Talbot County Empty Bowls, visit Talbotcountyemptybowls.org.
