Lakeshore Food Club Hosts second annual Empty Bowls Event  

Lakeshore Food Club Hosts second annual Empty Bowls Event  

HAMLIN TOWNSHIP — Lakeshore Food Club will hold its second annual Empty Bowls event on 

along with title sponsors, Todd & Julie Schrader, are excited to announce the Second Annual Empty Bowls event on Thursday, June 16, 2022, at Lincoln Hills Golf Club from 6 to 8 p.m. Title sponsors for the event are Todd and Julie Schrader.

The community is invited to enjoy an evening of food, live music, and more importantly, stories of impact as it comes together to ensure that no one in the community has an empty bowl at their table. 

“We are excited to host our first in-person event in over two years and the timing of this event could not have come at a more needed time,” said Executive Director, O’Nealya Gronstal.  “There are hundreds of households in our community who are struggling more than ever. With historic inflation rates across many sectors of our lives, the current housing shortage in our community, and many factors that have been exasperated by the pandemic, many of our neighbors are barely treading water.”

The Lakeshore Food Club is Mason County’s only income based nonprofit grocery store. Qualifying members receive points based on their household size to shop the aisles filled with fresh, wholesome, quality foods.  

“We are not a food pantry,” Gronstal said. “We pride ourselves on being a nonprofit grocery store where families have choice and control of their grocery shopping. Our point system is based on nutritional value, the fresher, healthier foods are the least number of points. For example, two pounds of bulk produce costs 1 point while a box of cookies costs 4 points.” 

Over the last two quarters, the Lakeshore Food Club has seen its membership increase by 65%. At the same time, the food costs have increased by more than 25%. 

“We are serving more people than ever before and our food costs more than ever before,” Gronstal said. “Every day we meet new member households who have never shopped with us before and every day we must increase our orders with food retailers and distributors. This month we are ordering double what we were ordering just two months ago.”

The Lakeshore Food Club has more than 1,000 active memberships and purchases more than 85% of its food from wholesalers and retailers. All money raised through Empty Bowls will help offset the increased food costs. 

As a tangible reminder of the evening and Lakeshore Food Club’s work to end food insecurity in Mason County, guests will be gifted with a handcrafted bowl created by local artisans. 

Tickets are $50 each and sponsorships are still available. For more information and to purchase tickets, please visit www.lakeshorefoodclub.org/events. Reservation and check may also be mailed to Lakeshore Food Club, Attn: Empty Bowls, 920 East Tinkham Avenue, Ludington, MI 49431.

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