Tickets and donations will support the 1 in 9 hungry neighbors in Palm Beach County

(Palm Beach, Fla.) – Savor the flavor of giving back! On Friday, February 21, the Palm Beach County Food Bank (PBCFB) is returning with its 12th Annual Empty Bowls Palm Beach at Church of Bethesda-by-the-Sea to remind supporters “to eat simply, so others can simply eat.” Since its inception, Bethesda-by-the-Sea has underwritten the event in its entirety, with overwhelming support from the community, so that every dollar raised to attend the event directly supports the PBCFB.
Empty Bowls is a national grassroots event that raises money for hunger relief. Guests will share a basic meal of freshly baked bread from Old School Bakery, signature soups donated by local restaurants, water and a delectable bake sale all served by community leaders and local celebrities.
“Currently, one-in-nine residents are projected to be food-insecure — and every dollar raised at Empty Bowls provides five meals to support our community partners that specifically serve Palm Beach County,” said Jamie Kendall, CEO of PBCFB. “In 2024, we opened our new 24,000 square-foot community kitchen expansion, which will act as a launching pad to addressing the root causes of hunger and surpassed the one-million-dollar mark for funds raised across 11 years of Empty Bowls Palm Beach. So, this year’s signature event at the Church of Bethesda is especially exciting as we bring more of our Palm Beach supporters into the conversation of how we are reducing the empty bowls that local residents face.”
With approximately 173,000 food-insecure residents throughout Palm Beach County, PBCFB procures food from grocery stores, farmers, food distributors, wholesalers and other sources and distributes it to over 200 local community partners, including food pantries, soup kitchens and schools. In 2024, PBCFB distributed nearly 13 million meals to over 193,000 residents experiencing hunger.
Restaurants that have provided soup booths in the past include The Ben West Palm, E.R. Bradley’s Saloon, The Breakers Palm Beach, The Colony Palm Beach Hotel, The Lord’s Place Cafe Joshua, Field of Greens, Pistache, Ravish Off Ocean, Renato’s Palm Beach, Trevini Ristorante and more. Also, this year’s notable sponsors include Anne & Chris Flowers, Debbie & Michael Pucillo, DSS, Inc., Florida Power & Light, J.P. Morgan Wealth Management Palm Beach Gardens and Velocity Community Credit Union.
Guests can purchase tickets in advance for $40 per order, which provides unlimited soup tastings, a bread roll from Old School Bakery, bottle of water, cookie, goodie bag and one hand-painted ceramic bowl (while supplies last).
To purchase a ticket, please visit pbcfoodbank.org/emptybowlspalmbeach. PBCFB is located at 701 Boutwell Rd Suite A-2, Lake Worth Beach, FL. To volunteer, partner, donate, host a food drive, or for more information, visit pbcfoodbank.org or call 561-670-2518.

About the Church of Bethesda-by-the-Sea
The Church of Bethesda-by-the-Sea believes in serving those in need, around the corner and around the world, it is integral to our life of faith. As Jesus reminds us, “Whatever you do for the least of these, you do for me.” Through the Church Mouse and The Shoppe, Bethesda realizes substantial revenue to support our outreach efforts. This financial support is augmented with countless volunteer hours of involvement. Our first priority is education. We believe that proper education not only changes the trajectory of one child’s life but also changes the trajectory of generations to follow. Our second priority is food. Twenty percent of the residents in Palm Beach County are food insecure. Our third priority is shelter. We believe that the financial support of agencies with expertise in this work is the most effective use of our resources.