Empty Bowls is an international grassroots effort to fight hunger. The basic premise is simple: potters and other craftspeople, educators and others work with the community to create handcrafted bowls. Guests are invited to a simple meal of soup and bread. In exchange for a cash donation, guests are asked to keep their bowl as a reminder of all the empty bowls in the world. The money raised is donated to a local organization working to end hunger and food insecurity.
Ponoka FCSS organizes the Empty Bowls fund-raiser for our community in October each year. The Ponoka Potter’s Guild provides the bowls. Other community members work together to provide the food and location.
Our local “Empty Bowls” is held to raise the awareness of the insecurity of food in our own community and to support the Ponoka Food Bank. Attendees are asked to remember that there are people in their community who struggle to fill their bowl each time they take their empty bowl from the cupboard. Please support those in need by attending “Empty Bowls” in October.
- In 2015 our "Empty Bowls" celebration had 100 people attending the event with approximately $1700 raised for the Ponoka Food Bank.
- Since 2016, the Empty Bowls fundraiser has been held in conjunction with OctoberZest - a day-long event that provides an opportunity to learn something new and meet new people.
- Roughly 115 people attended the 2016 "Empty Bowls" event with just over $1900 raised for the Ponoka Food Bank.
- Approximately 170 people attended Empty Bowls in both 2017 and 2018. The Food Bank received almost $2,500 in 2017 and $2,350 in 2018.