Empty Bowls Volunteer Leads Team to Pivot Barnabas Event Plan

Empty Bowls Volunteer Leads Team to Pivot Barnabas Event Plan

All photos taken by Caroline Blochlinger – cbadvertising.com

Barnabas volunteer, Liza Cotter, was this year’s Empty Bowls fundraising event chair. Empty Bowls was set to be a sit-down luncheon, indoors, with hundreds of attendees, as it had been for the past six years. The details were ready to be executed…then COVID-19 hit Nassau County, and everything changed!

“The Empty Bowls committee immediately began to consider the best way to keep people safe while attending the event,” said Liza. “With the help of our incredible staff, volunteers and committee members, we were able to pivot our ideas. We transformed this event into a drive-through extravaganza, which turned out to be a massive success.”

*Featured in the photo above are a few of the many Empty Bowls committee members*

Liza and her husband used to live in California for half the year, but when their house burned down, they decided it was time to move to Amelia Island full time and get more involved in the community. Through associations with the Women’s Giving Alliance, Liza met many Barnabas volunteers and staff members who introduced her to the vital programs and services that Barnabas provides to people in need.

“As soon as I learned about Barnabas, I visited the agency to discover what it’s all about. Observing the Barnabas programs in action influenced me to get involved – so I signed-up to be a Barnabas volunteer,” said Liza.

Liza’s volunteer work with Barnabas advanced her into her role as the Empty Bowls event chair. The execution of this year’s event was challenging due to the ongoing spread of the coronavirus pandemic. Liza emphasized how wonderful it was that the community came together safely and put their efforts into making Empty Bowls a success.

*Volunteers standing ready to pass out bowls and soup to the community!*

“This event inspired me,” said Liza. “Every day as the event chair volunteer, I learned more and more about Barnabas. I saw firsthand what Barnabas does for the community and it’s amazing. Whether you painted bowls, volunteered, sponsored or attended the event, you helped Barnabas reach our goal to help people in need – and that’s what Empty Bowls is about.”

When asked what she’d like to convey to others who are considering volunteering at Barnabas, Liza replied, “It’s such a good cause. Working one-on-one with people who need help is a wonderful reminder that we need to make sure our neighbors have everything they need. We are one community, and we must help each other.”