Empty Bowls

We attended local Empty Bowl event today. 

 

December 2017- The most helped in one month at 278   Cost estimate $23,201
Impact of Soup and Socks on the community

 

Our local Empty Bowls event is a fundraiser for Soup or Socks, a food pantry and clothes closet for area residents.  It is a win-win-win situation for our community-at-large.

 

Green Empty Bowl
Handmade Bowl from Local Empty Bowl 2018 Event

 

Win for community: Especially kids & parents who volunteered together to make the event success.   Being a small and good-natured community, some of the bowls for the event are made by community members at Mother’s day Fair each year.  We also have community days at an art center where for a nominal fee, we can make the bowls.  Our local artists and art teachers team up; students get to design and paint the bowls while learning about civic duties. what a wonderful way to teach “looking after your brother in need”.

May I share a conversation I overheard while choosing a homemade bowl to take home?

 

Win for the patrons:  The annual local Empty Bowls event raises much needed $$ for a local food pantry and clothes closet.  Along with helping the neighbors in need, the patrons enjoy a hearty bowl of soup with a cookie and milk donated by area restaurants AND take home a handmade ceramic bowl.  We shared a table with a young family and enjoyed listening to  kids who proudly shared the bowls they had chosen as well as how they will use it.  

 

Handmade Bowl has a multiple eyes and sharp teeth on rim, a "tongue" inside making look the bowl like a "Monster's" mouth
Handmade Bowl from Local Empty Bowl 2018 Event

 

Win for the neighbor’s in need: Today, working hard does not guarantee that one will have will a secure future, all their bills paid or even enough to feed the family .  When more and more people are experiencing food deficit, the food pantries and community looking after themselves is essential.  Empty Bowl event not only helps associated food pantries but also the patrons. Every time when we will use these bowls, we will remember, there is someone with an empty bowl somewhere.  It will make us look inward and ask “what are we doing to solve the hunger issue across the nation?”

May the bowl you take home today, help you remember that there is always someone with an EMPTY BOWL.

 

Thank you for visiting and letting me share a story from our community.  I am also looking forward to listening to your story.  Would you prefer to leave your blog url in the comments so we can visit one another? 

 


Thank you Two Writing Teachers for providing a place to meet & share reflective writing each Tuesday and the each day during whole month of March.   You are invited to visit Slice of Life Challenge or hashtag #SOL18 to explore as well as to join the challenge.

Slice of Life

 

 

 

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7 thoughts on “Empty Bowls

  1. I’ve heard of Empty Bowl events before but didn’t know exactly what they were. Now I’ll be on the lookout for them in my area. This is a great idea for a great cause.

    • Deb,

      This was our first year attending the event as well. Usually, we also have Timeless Tales event, a Friends of the Marshfield Public Library fundraiser same day which I am involved with.

      The best part of the EMpty Bowls is that it is community based initiative and having small community, everyone can participate – from learning to make the bowls to finishing them to donating soup or volunteering.

      Thanks for being you & sharing stories.

      BTW, should I say congrats for having your hope realized? Would you listen to the kids and go back to teaching full time?

      Purviben

  2. The bowls make the event more concrete as a reminder of someone else’s hunger. And they must be so much fun to make. This is a win/win!

  3. Barbara,

    Yes. The artists are so gracious and they invite you to become part of the process. This year, one of the artist went to schools; guided by the excellent (and very humble) art teacher and artist, the students made more than 300 bowls. You should see the itty bitty and kids at heart making pinch bowls –> elaborate ones during the Mother’s Day Fair.

    I enjoyed reading about the young friend. What a delightful slice you shred with us.

    Looking forward to continue the conversation.

    Purviben

  4. Our district participates in the Empty Bowl project as well. Though I’ve only attended once, I love the fact that it is an annual event. I didn’t know that it happened in other areas as well; thanks for the lovely Slice today!

  5. Dear Purviben,
    Thank you for sharing the story. It was wonderful to read about all the different sides of the story. Doing something with hands, creating the bowls, instead of just giving money makes the help so much more meaningful.

  6. What a beautiful, heart-warming Slice, Purviben. I have never heard of empty bowls before, but what a wonderful idea and opportunity. I love that both children and adults were involved and I am sure their efforts were greatly appreciated. Many, many thanks for brightening my Sunday morning. Best, Christie @ https://wonderingandwondering.wordpress.com/

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