The last year has been extremely difficult for a lot of people. A lot of Minnesotans lost their job and the number of residents dealing with hunger grew. 1 in 8 Minnesotans is currently struggling to food on their tables.

That’s where Channel One comes in - Channel One Regional Food Bank serves 14 counties in southeastern Minnesota and western Wisconsin and they do an amazing job taking care of people. But, like all non-profits, they can’t do much without the support of the community.

Their biggest fundraising event of the year is Empty Bowls. Each fall hundreds, if not thousands, of people, attend the event and enjoy a bowl of soup for lunch and attendees get to take home a handcrafted bowl as a memento. Last year’s event raised $68,000 and provided over 272,000 meals to people in need in our area.

Those handcrafted bowls don’t magically appear though they need your help creating them. Channel One has teamed with Jessica’s Paint Your Own Pottery to continue the tradition and they want the public to get involved.

Jessica’s Paint Your Own Pottery is offering to-go art kits which allow you to paint a bowl in the comfort of your own home. If you are interested in painting a bowl for this year’s Empty Bowls event you can contact jessicapottery@gmail.com or call 507-405-0557. I’ve painted several bowls and it is really a lot of fun – You can design it however you like!

To learn more about Channel One Regional Food Bank and the services they offer, click here.

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Stacker compiled a list of the best places to live in Minnesota using data from Niche. Niche ranks places to live based on a variety of factors including cost of living, schools, health care, recreation, and weather. Cities, suburbs, and towns were included. Listings and images are from realtor.com.

On the list, there's a robust mix of offerings from great schools and nightlife to high walkability and public parks. Some areas have enjoyed rapid growth thanks to new businesses moving to the area, while others offer glimpses into area history with well-preserved architecture and museums. Keep reading to see if your hometown made the list.

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