The ninth annual campaign will take place during the entire month of October, culminating with an Empty Bowl soup distribution Oct. 30 and an in-person Hunger Walk on Oct. 31.

For seven years the event was held in May, but last year due to the pandemic a virtual version of the campaign moved to the fall. Organizers decided then that the event would continue to be a fall event. The campaign benefits community food pantries at American Primitive Methodist Church and Trinity United Church of Christ.

Last year’s virtual event raised just over $9,000 for the pantries. This year’s goal is $10,000 and 150 boxes of food.

The 2021 campaign has many moving parts including sponsorships, virtual walkers, canned and dry good food collections, an online Empty Bowl soup sale and an in-person community walk.

Campaign sponsorships are being sought from area businesses and organizations.

Virtual walkers are asked to register on the campaign’s Network for Good page (https://tacp.networkforgood.com/projects/125937-2021-tamaqua-hungry-campaign) and ask friends and family to support them through donations. Walkers are asked to post video of their walks.

Organizations collecting food can register with Paul Dodson at 579-668-0289.

Campaign organizers plan to have 200 quarts of soup available for sale online beginning Oct. 1. Churches have been contacted regarding making a soup for the sale. The soups will be distributed from a central location on Oct. 30. Churches/organizations are asked to commit to what soup they are making by Sept. 30 so it can be posted on the online soup sale page.

People purchasing a quart of soup will also get a chance to win one of several $25 gift certificates to Tamaqua area restaurants. They may also select a handcrafted bowl while supplies last at the soup distribution. Oct. 24 is the last day to order Empty Bowl Soup Sale Tickets.

Churches and organizations wishing to participate in the soup sale can contact George Taylor at 570-668-4451.

In the past restaurants provided the soups for the Empty Bowl dinner, but campaign organizers were concerned that local restaurants are still recovering economically from the pandemic. Instead, restaurants are being asked to host a “Dine Out Against Hunger” day on Oct. 27 and donate some of the proceeds to the campaign. Sept. 24 is the deadline for restaurant owners to register.

Details of all aspects of the hunger campaign will be made available closer to the Oct. 1 launch date.

The hunger campaign is a project of the Tamaqua Area Faith Fellowship Network, an organization of lay leaders from area churches, which operates under the umbrella of the Tamaqua Area Community Partnership.