El Camino Homeless Organization (ECHO) is holding its 4th Annual Empty Bowls event next week on Thursday, April 25, 2019 at Atascadero Bible Church, 6225 Atascadero Ave., Atascadero.  New this year, is a choice to attend lunch at 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. and dinner at 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. The event features delectable soups, stews and chowders from local restaurant chefs and artisan breads from local bakeries. Reprising their role are local celebrities coming to serve attendees.

Local restaurants and bakeries participating and donating in this years’ event include:

Catering by Chef Charlie The Restaurant at Justin Vineyards
Dan’s Grub Shack Il Cortile
Guest House Grill Atascadero Cafe
Streetside Ale House McPhee’s Grill
Pedro’s Mexican Restaurant Trumpet Vine Catering
Outlaws Bar & Grill The Wellness Kitchen
Hofbrau Morro Bay Dan Cook
Giovanni’s Fish Market & Galley Nino’s Grill
Odyssey World Café Brian’s Bread
The Full Belly Deli Back Porch Bakery

echo slo

Tickets are available for purchase at echoshelter.org as well as at the Atascadero Chamber Office, located at 6907 El Camino Real, Atascadero, for $25 each. Individuals and families are encouraged to participate in this fun-filled afternoon and evening of fellowship and soup tasting.  Guests will take home a beautiful pottery bowl as a reminder of all the “empty bowls” in the world.

ECHO operates a safe and secure overnight 50 bed shelter to meet the immediate needs of families and individuals who have become homeless.  With a unique residency program, residents are provided case management services to assist them in securing a job and finding permanent and sustainable housing within three months of entering the shelter program.  While enrolled in the program, residents learn life skills for employment, budgeting, healthier habits and more.  The goal and the result of this practical support is the empowerment of residents to move in a positive direction while assisting them in acquiring the skills and services they need to become self-sustaining, including stable housing.

“Through our Empty Bowls event we encourage the community to help support those who are hungry and homeless,” says Wendy Lewis, President/CEO, “ECHO served 52,934 meals in 2018 to people facing hunger and homelessness in SLO County. We are grateful for our supporter assisting us in our mission to end homelessness in our community.”

ECHO’s Empty Bowls is supported by many local organizations and businesses including:

Brezden Pest Control Doug & Kathy Howard
Atascadero 76 Central Coast Printing
KSBY Andros Engineering
Dimes Media County of SLO
Justin Vineyards & Winery The Tribune
Twin Cities Community Hospital Pacific Premier Bank
SCI Construction ABC Church
Gerber’s Auto Services Digital West
Rabobank Twin Cities Surveying
BHE Renewables Eric Gobler Civil Engineering

About El Camino Homeless Organization (ECHO)

ECHO’s mission since 2001 is to empower people in SLO County to make positive change by providing food, shelter, and supportive services. ECHO operates a 50-bed shelter, a daily community dinner program, and shower program for homeless individuals and families throughout San Luis Obispo County.  For more information, please visit our website at echoshelter.org.