The Bastrop Empty Bowl event will raise money for the Bastrop County Emergency Food Pantry on Jan. 25.

What to expect

The fundraiser brings in the largest aid for the pantry each year, and allows attendees to select and fill hand-painted ceramic bowls with local soups, stews, chilis and more.Kelly Manfredini, Bastrop County Emergency Food Pantry director of marketing, said the event is also a “battle of the ladles.”

Judges and attendees can vote for the “best of” and “fan favorites” in a range of categories.

Raffles and a silent auction will also be running throughout the event showcasing local artists and businesses.Why it matters

Manfredini said the pantry has to depend more on monetary and food donations from residents and businesses to keep up with the need, which continues to increase. That growing demand, she said, is due to several factors, including reductions in Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, benefits along with the rising cost of housing and groceries.“People are getting priced out of Austin, and after the [extra food benefits] went away ... we saw the huge increase,” Manfredini said in a previous interview with Community Impact. “If you’re choosing between not eating and going homeless, most people will choose the ‘not eating’ option. We use the phrase, ‘Rent eats first.’”

Stay tuned

To continue the pantry's mission to help those in need, officials will open a new building in late 2025.

To pay for the new facility, BCEFP officials started the Capital Campaign in 2023 to raise $7.5 million.

Those who would like to help can do so through the BCEFP website, by mailing a check to P.O. Box 953 Bastrop, TX 78602, or by dropping it off at the current center located at 806 Fayette St. in Bastrop.

Other ways to help include in-kind donations and legacy gifts.

• Jan. 25, 11 a.m.-1:30 p.m.
• $25, age 13 and older (admission and bowl); free, age 12 and younger (admission)
• Bastrop Convention and Exhibit Center, 1408 Chestnut St., Bastrop
• www.bastropfoodpantry.org