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www.oakvillebeaver.com The Oakville Beaver, Wednesday October 15, 2008 - 17 Empty Bowls filled with hope for homeless By Angela Blackburn OAKVILLE BEAVER STAFF S oup kitchens poured into the mainstream consciousness during The Great Depression. When the modern equivalent was brought to Oakville's affluent Appleby College, it turned out to be a "souper" fundraiser for Oakville-based Home Suite Hope (HSH), which offers transitional housing and support for local residents who find themselves homeless or on the verge of being homeless. This year's Empty Bowls event will take place from 12:30 to 3:30 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 19. Admission costs $50 in advance, $60 at the door. Tickets are available at www.homesuitehope.org or 905-339-2370. Born in Michigan, the idea of an Empty Bowls event began as a fundraiser for hunger awareness. When HSH brought it to Oakville with the twist of raising awareness for homelessness, they hit the jackpot. Cari MacLean, Oakville resident and wife of Hockey Night in Canada host Ron MacLean, said the board of HSH wanted to put a face to something that was hard to explain. The event, however, found a natural fit in Oakville. It sees local artists and students craft ceramic bowls. People attending the Empty Bowls event pay $50/$60 admission and then can pick a bowl of their choice to take home as a keepsake. They also have a bowl filled with some mouth-watering soups, crafted, donated and served up by local restaurants also participating in the event. It all happens in an informal, kitchen-like atmosphere of Appleby College's dining hall. With an active arts community, students with a big heart and many restaurants, Oakville proved a happy home for an Empty Bowls event. Last year, in its inaugural year, it raised nearly $50,000 for HSH -- a good bit of cash that helped toward the purchase and preparation of a second six-unit transitional housing unit for women and children to open. HSH has until now operated a five-bedroom townhouse for men over 18. The largest hurdle for HSH has been, not only to raise awareness of homeless in Oakville, but also to validate that it exists locally. Empty Bowls was replicated here to get that message out and had its toughest sales pitch last year in its inaugural year, said MacLean. The event proved so popular however, that only in its second year, the event is selling itself. MacLean said she believes it is successful because it's simple and casual. It's on a Sunday afternoon, it's a drop-in format, there's no pressure once you are through the door and, in essence, it's like a big kitchen party. Longo's is a gold spoon sponsor of the event and is not only supplying the event, but Gay Longo, whose husband Anthony is president and CEO of Longo's, is also a local potter. Campbell's Soup is a silver spoon sponsor. "The soup list sounds fabulous," said Perkins. That would have to be the case considering the list of local restaurants participating including: Seasons, Julia's Ristorante, Tikki Tikka, The Cook's Companion, Stoney's Bread Company, Jonathans, Jennifer's Kitchen, Sodexho, Whole Foods Market, The Twisted Fork, Campbell Company of Canada, Calabash Caribbean Cuisine, Catered Fare, Cucci, Colborne St. Café, Longo's and Bite Me Twice. Providing other edibles for the event are: Globe Coffee, Cobbs Bakery and Life Source Water. Yet aside from the delicious fare, it is the empty bowl being filled -- symbolic of an empty vessel being nourished and nurtured by a community -- that is the most powerful message behind connecting the local community with the local community members being served by HSH. "I think many people in town may be a stone's throw away from losing it all," said MacLean. Some people maintain a facade, but an economic downfall could bring about what some may never think Cari MacLean would happen, according to MacLean. "How many people are on the brink of it all collapsing?" asked MacLean, adding, all it takes is bad luck that can set off a chain of events. According to Wendy Perkins, HSH's executive director, despite the growth occurring in Oakville, it is a closely knit town with a real sense of community. "We have to take care of everybody in the community and that includes the ones having a tough time. We have to let them know they are still welcome and still part of our community," said Perkins. Throwing support behind local people in need Continued from page 16 ing an emergency shelter as the Lighthouse offers or shelter from abuse, as Halton Women's Place offers. Embarking on a long journey down a tough road, many people rolled up their sleeves and set about respecting local residents' perceptions about the homeless while also striving to do something practical for those in need. Leading the way was Wendy Perkins, now executive director of HSH. Along with her were former Town planner, now consultant, John Ghent, businesswoman and community volunteer Norma Gamble, former Salvation Army Oakville Major Ray Braddock and local lawyer Bill McLeod. To their credit, HSH is now a reality that offers dignity by providing affordable living and community support to get back on track and thereby offers hope. It provides shared living for people in dire straits. "It is apparent to us that community-level initiatives such as ours can play a strong role in providing solutions to the growing expand the housing it can supply to able to adult men, it will soon be opening a second small apartment complex homeless crisis," states those in crisis. See A bus page 18 With its original townhouse availHSH's website. The mission is to provide Your Experience begins at CruiseShipCenters. affordable housing and a network of community support for people who are homeless or in a housing crisis. 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