Bowls were empty but hearts were full on Tuesday, March 24 when the School-to-Community Partnership held the 23rd annual Empty Bowls Banquet in the Middletown High School Cafeteria.

MHS has partnered with community members to put on the event, as well as the National Honors Society and Sharon Steger’s science classes. However, anyone had the opportunity to help.

The School-to-Community Partnership has put on the Empty bowls banquet for the past 23 years.

Middletown elementary, middle and high school students donated their artwork to be showcased.

Students helped serve food and drink, paint faces, and hand out bowls. Food was provided by Carrabba’s Italian Grill.

The banquet had speakers and musical performances from Matthew Jefferson, piano, and Lexi Grossnickle, saxophone. The Voice star and MHS alumni Paul Pfau performed a few of his own songs and his audition song from the show.

Guest speaker Ed Hinde from SHIP, the Student Homelessness Initiative Partnership of Frederick County Inc., spoke about homelessness in Frederick County.

Because the event sold a record amount of tickets, the amount raised is estimated to be over several thousand dollars.

“We haven’t determined the amount of money taken in yet.  We also have not yet gotten bills from Carrabba’s or the MHS cafeteria,” James Zimmer, transition education teacher and one of the coordinators of the Empty Bowls Banquet said.

With over 400 people in attendance, the event was sold-out and money was raised through ticket sales and silent auctions. All the proceeds will go to the Middletown food bank and People Helping People.