The Fayetteville community is invited to break bread and support a community effort to help the broken, hurting and homeless. Fayetteville Area Operation Inasmuch is hosting their 18th annual Bread N’ Bowls lunch event on Thursday, March 20 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Snyder Memorial Baptist Church in Fayetteville.   

Started by previous Executive Director Sue Byrd in the early 2000s, Bread N’ Bowls  serves as the organization’s only public fundraiser event after nearly two decades.

“Since we served breakfast and we served the homeless, a lot of folks were like ‘how can we show that love for others,’” shared Inasmuch Executive Director and Pastor Craig Morrison. “And the idea was created for people to take hand painted pottery bowls.” 

The funds raised during the event will support Inasmuch and their daily breakfasts along with their long term rehabilitation, housing, vocational training programs, homeless support programs and more.

“People drive by this building every day and they never know what’s inside,” shared Morrison about the Fayetteville Area Operation Inasmuch building located at 531 Hillsboro St., near downtown Fayetteville. 

“We serve breakfast every morning, Monday through Friday and it’s packed. There's two waves of breakfast; the first wave is completely full, the second wave is half full. But from 7:30 a.m. to 8:30 a.m. we're serving about 100 to 120 people,” continued Morrison. “It's not like your typical soup kitchen or homeless shelter, where people are just standing in line and getting their tray. This is sit down, you have real silverware, you have servers who are coming by and then we have a time of devotion and prayer and then after that, breakfast is served. It's not just a stand in line and get your things [situation]. Dignity, worth and respect are key core values for Inasmuch.” 

Along with providing a secure source of food for the homeless community, Inasmuch also provides medical care, housing, lifestyle adjustment rehabilitation and vocational training such as construction and an upcoming food service training program still in the works.  

All of these things are made possible thanks to the community’s support for this one event held each year and continued donations. 

Guests are invited to purchase tickets to order lunch that includes salad, chili or soup with the choice of bread bowls or the hand painted pottery bowls to take home as a keepsake. The bowls were painted by Inasmuch volunteers and team members, residents at their Lodge supportive housing facility and participants of their breakfast program. 

Morrison shared that the partnerships between local businesses Superior Bakery and Greg’s Pottery are instrumental to the event and they are thankful for their long time support. 

“Greg’s Pottery helps us with that. They fire them [the bowls] up and make them look pretty.” shared Morrison. “The second part of the bowls are the bread bowls that are provided by Superior Bakery. They’ve both been there from the very beginning, all 18 years.” 

Morrison shared that in previous years the event has seen hundreds of attendees come out to show their support and this year is no different with 1,000 bread bowls ready to be served. 

Tickets are available online here along with additional event details. 

“Everybody is welcome to come to the event and have a great time. They can even come to the event itself and just buy a ticket at the door,” shared Morrison. “We are going to have about seven gift baskets that are going to be available for a raffle, so folks can purchase those tickets but you have to be present to win.” 

Sponsorships for this event have closed, but newly created annual sponsorship opportunities are available for 2025. 

Learn more about Fayetteville Area Operation Inasmuch on their website here.