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Empty Bowls Fundraiser Launches in Franklin County October 23

After 12 successful years of hosting the popular Empty Bowls Fundraiser in Gettysburg with the Spring 2026 event already being planned, The Gleaning Project of South Central Community Action Programs (SCCAP) is proud to announce the inaugural Empty Bowls – Franklin County Fundraiser, to be held on Thursday, October 23, 2025, at King Street Church in Chambersburg.

This meaningful community event brings together residents, artists, businesses, and hunger-relief advocates to raise awareness about food insecurity while supporting The Gleaning Project’s vital mission. Attendees will enjoy a meal of a variety of soups, breads, and desserts. Each ticketholder will receive a beautiful pottery bowl to take home as a reminder of the event and the empty bowls in our communities.

Tickets are $20 each and will go on sale September 2, 2025.
Please note: No tickets will be sold at the door.

The Gleaning Project works throughout Adams and Franklin Counties to recover surplus produce from local farms and gardens—fresh food that would otherwise go to waste—and redistributes it to community organizations and families in need. In 2024 alone, the program gleaned and shared over 900,000 pounds of produce.

“This new event in Franklin County marks an exciting expansion of our efforts to engage the community in fighting hunger and food waste,” said Cheryl Brown, SCCAP’s Resource Development Director. “We are thrilled to bring this impactful fundraiser to Chambersburg and welcome everyone to be part of the solution.”

Sponsorship opportunities are available at all levels, offering businesses and individuals the chance to support a local initiative that feeds thousands of families each year. Sponsors will be recognized at the event, in promotional materials, and through SCCAP’s outreach channels.

Additionally, local chefs and restaurants are invited to donate soup for the event, helping to provide a delicious meal to attendees while showcasing their culinary talents. Local potters are also encouraged to contribute by donating handcrafted pottery bowls, which will be used at the event and then given to guests as a keepsake.

If you are a chef, restaurant, or potter interested in donating, please contact Natalie Sinclair, director of The Gleaning Project at nsinclair@sccap.org

To learn more about sponsoring the event or getting involved, please contact:
Cheryl Brown, Resource Development Director
at cbrown@sccap.org

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Who We Are

The Franklin County Free Press, established by Vicky Taylor in 2019, emerged as a beacon of local journalism for the residents of Franklin County. Under Vicky's leadership, it quickly became an essential source of news, particularly at a time when major newspaper publications were increasingly overlooking local coverage.

On January 1, 2022, the torch was passed to Nathan Neil and his firm, Neil Publishing, LLC. Neil, a local entrepreneur with multiple thriving businesses in Chambersburg, shares Vicky's fervent commitment to both the community and the world of local journalism.

Rooted in the heart of Franklin County and powered by its residents, the Franklin County Free Press continues to bridge the gap, ensuring that the local stories, events, and issues that matter most to the community remain in the spotlight.