Our Impact
Neighbors Helping Neighbors. Building a Stronger Puerto Peñasco
The need in Peñasco is real. And asking for help isn't easy.
For many families in our community, seasonal employment, rising living costs, and unexpected hardships can make something as basic as putting food on the table a daily challenge.
At Empty Bowls Puerto Peñasco, we believe no one should have to face hunger alone.
Since February 2024, our grassroots, all-volunteer initiative has brought together residents, local businesses, restaurants, artists, and community supporters with one shared purpose: to raise funds and provide resources and assistance to neighbors facing food insecurity in our community.
What began as a community fundraising event has grown into a year-round commitment to helping those in need.
And we're just getting started.
Our Impact at a Glance
Every contribution, every volunteer hour, and every partnership helps us make a difference.
• OVER $29,000 RAISED IN 2025 — We set a fundraising goal of $25,000 and, thanks to our community, exceeded it.
• MORE THAN $1,200 USD IN MONTHLY FINANCIAL SUPPORT
— Currently provided to two established beneficiary organizations.
• 3 LOCAL BENEFICIARY PARTNERS — Working together to
provide food, resources, and assistance to neighbors in need.
• OVER 1,200 FOOD BAGS DISTRIBUTED IN 2025 — Our
volunteers helped pack and distribute more than 100 food bags
each month.
• $30,000 FUNDRAISING GOAL FOR 2026 — Building on our
success and expanding our community impact.
Financial figures reflect the reporting periods identified above. Our fundraising, distributions, and community assistance activities are documented and reviewed by our volunteer leadership.
Where Your Support Goes
One of the most important parts of our mission is working alongside established local organizations that understand the needs of our community.
Rather than duplicating their efforts, Empty Bowls provides financial resources, supplies, and volunteer support to strengthen the work these organizations are already doing.
We currently provide more than $1,200 USD each month in combined financial assistance to Banco de Alimentos Puerto Peñasco and D.I.F. Puerto Peñasco.
In fall 2026, we welcomed Palabras de Esperanza as our third beneficiary partner. Beginning in January 2027, we plan to include the organization in our regular monthly contributions, increasing our combined financial commitment to more than $2,200 USD per month.
Banco de Alimentos Puerto Peñasco (Food Bank)
The local food bank provides essential food assistance to
individuals and families experiencing food insecurity.
Since establishing our partnership in January 2025, Empty
Bowls has provided financial contributions and hands-on
volunteer support, helping pack and distribute food bags to
neighbors throughout the year.
Sistema Nacional para el Desarrollo Integral de la Familia (D.I.F.)
D.I.F. provides important social assistance to vulnerable members of
our community, including children, families, and seniors.
Since establishing our partnership in January 2025, Empty Bowls
has supported D.I.F.'s efforts by providing monthly food bags for
families in need, along with fresh fruit for seniors receiving home
delivered meals.
What began as a summer fresh-fruit initiative has grown into an
ongoing monthly commitment, bringing additional nutrition and care
to our senior neighbors throughout the year.
Palabras de Esperanza (Food Bank)
We welcomed Palabras de Esperanza as our newest
beneficiary partner in fall 2026, expanding our efforts to
support local organizations addressing food insecurity.
Following our initial financial contributions, we look forward to
incorporating Palabras de Esperanza into our regular monthly
beneficiary support beginning in January 2027.
Why Our Partnerships Matter
Each beneficiary organization has its own procedures for identifying and qualifying individuals and families for assistance. Depending on the organization and type of support provided, these may include applications, interviews, home visits, and records of financial assistance and food distributions.
By working alongside organizations with established community relationships and accountability procedures, we help direct resources where they are needed while respecting the expertise of those already serving our community.
Our role is to help provide the resources. Their role is to help ensure those resources reach the families who need them. Together, we make a greater difference.
More Than an Annual Fundraiser
Our Empty Bowls event brings people together, but our commitment to the community continues throughout the year.
Monthly Food Assistance
Every month, Empty Bowls volunteers help assemble and distribute food bags to neighbors facing food insecurity. In 2025, these efforts continued for twelve consecutive months, providing consistent, hands-on assistance.
Emergency Community Assistance
Sometimes a need can't wait until the next scheduled distribution.
We also respond to requests for emergency assistance submitted through our website and Facebook page, providing additional help when resources are available.
Helping Local Seniors
Through our partnership with D.I.F., our monthly fresh-fruit deliveries provide additional nutrition for seniors receiving home-delivered meals.
It's a simple but meaningful way to remind our senior neighbors that their community cares.
Supporting Our Beneficiary Partners
Our involvement doesn't stop with monthly contributions. Throughout the year, Empty Bowls also supports fundraising activities organized by our beneficiary partners, helping extend their reach and strengthen the services they provide.
Our work is about more than raising money. It's hands-on community service — people giving their time, energy, and resources to help their neighbors when they need it most.
Financial Transparency & Accountability
We believe that every donation, ticket purchase, sponsorship, and volunteer contribution represents an act of generosity and trust.
We take that responsibility seriously.
As a volunteer-led community initiative, Empty Bowls Puerto Peñasco maintains financial records documenting fundraising proceeds, expenses, and distributions to our beneficiary organizations and community assistance activities.
Our treasurer presents financial reports at monthly committee meetings, where expenditures and distributions are discussed and approved through a committee vote. Quarterly financial reviews provide additional oversight.
Financial contributions to our beneficiaries are documented through receipts confirming payments and food purchases. We also maintain photographs of volunteer activities, including food bagging and distribution efforts.
We welcome questions and opportunities to explain our work. We believe transparency is not simply something to promise; it is something to practice.
Our Financial Summary
Our community's generosity has helped us grow our impact year after year.
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2024 Total Fundraising Results: $21,414 USD
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2025 Total Fundraising Results: $29,596 USD (Goal: $25,000)
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2026 Total Fundraising Results to Date: $11,533 USD (Goal: $30,000) as of October 2026
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Monthly Financial Contributions to Beneficiary Organizations: $1,200 USD ($14,400 annually)
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Additional Direct Community Assistance: $6,000–$10,000 USD
Planning for Continued Support
Through careful financial management, we maintain reserves designed to sustain our beneficiary contributions for approximately six to eight months, even if fundraising activities are interrupted by unforeseen circumstances (ie: pandemic, catastrophic weather, border closings, etc).
This forward-looking approach helps provide stability for our partners and allows us to continue supporting our community beyond any single fundraising event.
How Fundraising Expenses Are Covered
Organizing fundraising events involves necessary expenses, including soup sample cups, napkins, spoons, printing, banners, tickets, wristbands, and other event essentials.
Fortunately, generous financial and in-kind sponsorships from local businesses and community supporters help offset these costs, allowing us to direct more of our fundraising proceeds toward our mission.
Our commitment is to use the resources entrusted to us responsibly, maintain accurate records, and remain accountable to the community we serve.
Our Organizational Structure
Empty Bowls Puerto Peñasco was founded in February 2024 as a grassroots, all- volunteer community initiative.
We are not a U.S. 501(c)(3) charitable organization, nor are we currently incorporated as a separate Mexican nonprofit organization.
Our initiative is organized and operated by volunteers who contribute their time, skills, and resources to support our mission.
Building a Stronger, More Connected Community.
An important part of our mission is bringing people together across cultures, strengthening relationships within Puerto Peñasco, and encouraging greater participation by Mexican nationals in our volunteer activities, leadership, and long- term development.
As we grow, we recognize that establishing a formal Mexican nonprofit organization is a significant undertaking — one that requires thoughtful planning, shared leadership, and individuals committed to its long-term success.
Our vision is to evolve from a grassroots community initiative into a stronger, more established organization, with greater local involvement, expanded outreach, and an even greater capacity to serve those in need.
We're committed to building that future thoughtfully and responsibly, alongside the community we call home.
Looking Ahead: Growing Our Impact
As Empty Bowls Puerto Peñasco continues to grow, so does our commitment to helping our neighbors.
In 2027, we plan to expand our regular monthly financial contributions to include Palabras de Esperanza, increasing our combined support for three local beneficiary organizations to more than $2,200 USD each month.
Alongside our financial contributions, we remain committed to monthly food distributions, ongoing fresh-fruit assistance for local seniors, volunteer projects, and community partnerships.
Our goal is not simply to raise more money, but to strengthen the relationships, resources, and community involvement that make lasting assistance possible.
The need for food assistance in Puerto Peñasco isn't going away, and neither is our commitment to helping.
More Than an Event. A Community United.
Empty Bowls Puerto Peñasco is more than an annual fundraising event. It's a year- round commitment by neighbors helping neighbors.
Our work is made possible by a growing community of volunteers, local businesses, restaurants, artists, and supporters who believe that hunger is not someone else's problem — and that everyone deserves access to food, compassion, and dignity.
We are proud of what our Puerto Peñasco community has accomplished since 2024, grateful to everyone who has contributed, and committed to growing responsibly so we can continue making an even greater difference.
We may have started with an empty bowl, but what we've built is a community.
Have Questions? Want to Get Involved?
We welcome questions about our mission, beneficiary partnerships, financial practices, and volunteer opportunities.
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Phone: +52 638 109 2909
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Volunteer opportunities: click here to contact us
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Upcoming events: Find out what’s happening next
Together, we're helping fill more than bowls. We're helping build a stronger community.
A Community FUNdraiser to fight hungar.
Support Empty Bowls Puerto Peñasco and
Help A Family In Need Today!
