Bennett Farrell founded Bowls For Good, a nonprofit organization that sells volunteer-made wooden bowls to raise money to end hunger.
Volunteers create wooden bowls to help feed the hungry.
Wood shavings cover the floor of Bowls for Good, a small studio in the heart of the Warehouse Arts District.
On 420 22nd St. S, the local nonprofit organization is dedicated to ending hunger by crafting wooden bowls and selling them to raise money.
According to the website, the group’s mission is to “End hunger one bowl at a time.”
Those who want to help the initiative can volunteer and try out bowl-turning. The pieces they create are later sold, with the proceeds going to others in need.
“You sign up —you and two more friends— come down and make a bowl,” Bowls for Good founder, Bennett Farrell, said. “It doesn’t cost anything, but you leave us the bowl.”
The bowls are made from various types of wood such as sweet gum, camphor, rose, cherry, mango, orange and tangerine. Volunteers aren’t required to be experienced in woodworking, and create the bowls using tools supplied by the studio.
Each bowl generally sells for $20 through a fundraiser. The money is then donated to Feeding America Tampa Bay.
In three years, Bowls for Good has created almost 700 bowls. Farrell said each bowl that is sold can provide up to 140 meals –about 98,000 total.
Farrell specialized in furniture design and restoration at the Thomas Chippendale School of Furniture in Scotland.
According to Creative Loafing, Farrell, who is also the co-owner of Lenny’s Restaurant in Clearwater, covers all operating costs of Bowls for Good out of pocket, allowing 100 percent of the public’s donations to be put toward ending hunger.
The third annual Bowls for Good fundraiser is Nov. 21 at Lenny’s Restaurant, 21220 US Hwy 19 N, Clearwater. Tickets are $20 which include a volunteer-made wooden bowl and a portion homemade soup and bread. Ticket proceeds will provide over 140 meals to those in need through Feeding America Tampa Bay.
If you want to help this initiative, call 727 512-9313 or visit www.bowlsforgood.org
