If your Wednesday lunch plans are open, Martin Luther Campus has a good offer. On Wednesday, Oct. 7, the campus will host Rock & Bowl, a fundraiser for Volunteers Enlisted to Assist People, the Bloomington food shelf and social services nonprofit most people just call VEAP. It runs 12:30 to 2 p.m. in the campus Great Room at 1401 E. 100th St.
It works like an Empty Bowls event. Guests get a tasting flight of 3 soups with breadsticks, cookies and drinks, plus a keepsake bowl to take home. CODA Duo will play live. Organizers said the event is free and open to all, with a suggested donation of $5 to $10. All of the money goes to the VEAP food shelf.
Registration is appreciated but not required. To give organizers a heads-up, contact Kate Blessing at 952-885-8805 or kate.blessing@fairview.org. You'll find the details on the campus's Rock & Bowl event page.
Most locals have heard of VEAP, but the scope of its work may surprise you. Beyond the food pantry at 9600 Aldrich Ave. S., the nonprofit runs mobile food distributions, helps with rent and connects people to social services and other community resources. It serves Bloomington, Richfield, Edina and nearby communities. Its pantry has no income requirements, and its slogan is simple: everyone is welcome.
A $5 bill for a cup of soup and a song is about as low-stakes as charity gets, and the money goes straight to the pantry. Bring a coworker, bring a neighbor, and take your bowl home.
