Empty Bowls

Held annually in Jackson and Josephine Counties

Empty Bowls is an international grassroots effort to fight hunger, personalized by artists and art organizations on a community level.

The basic premise is simple: Potters, craftspeople, educators and others donate their time and talents to create handcrafted bowls. The community is then invited to a simple meal of soup and bread. In exchange for a cash donation, guests are invited to keep a bowl as a reminder of all the empty bowls in the world. One hundred percent of each meal’s proceeds are donated to local hunger-fighting organizations or charitable groups.

It is the collective energy of all the people involved that has made Empty Bowls what it has become today. Events now take place across the United States and in at least a dozen other countries. Many millions of dollars have been raised and donated to hunger-fighting organizations – all on a local community level.

Each year Clayfolk members donate hundreds of bowls to Empty Bowl events in both Jackson and Josephine counties.

Clayfolk members donate bowls at the end of the annual Clayfolk Show & Sale, as well as a call for donations is coordinated by our Clayfolk Empty Bowls committee chairs.

 

Empty-Bowls-2014Jackson County Empty Bowls

Always in October.

Visit the Peace House website for this year’s event dates and details.

About the event:

This event brings people from Jackson County together for a common community purpose; a soup dinner and pottery sale fundraiser to help alleviate hunger and food scarcity in the Rogue Valley. Last year the collaboration of Ashland potters, elementary school, high school and S.O.U. student potters joined with Clayfolk and raised over $8,000 which was distributed to Uncle Food Diner, Jobs with Justice and Food Angels.

 

To donate bowls please contact the Clayfolk Empty Bowls chairs.

 

 

Phoenix/Talent Empty Bowls

 

Phoenix/Talent began its Empty Bowls fundraiser in November, 2023.  The event is held in the fall each year and 100% of all proceeds go to the Phoenix Food Pantry and the Talent Food Pantry. We have raised over $6000 and expect that to increase as we grow.  Our event is held at the First Presbyterian Church in Phoenix, with soups made by local chefs and restaurants, and bread from local bakers.  Along with soup/cereal size bowls for purchase, we have ceramic Silent Auction items for sale also.  Local potters and students from our local schools in cooperation with Talent Maker City, create hundreds of bowls for our event. Clay Folk is supportive of our event and its members donate hundreds of bowls each year.
We’re all committed to the same goal of creating beautiful pieces to support our communities.
 

To donate bowls please contact the Clayfolk Empty Bowls chairs.

Josephine County Empty Bowls

Always in October.

Visit the Options website for this year’s event details.

About the event:

Attendees have the pleasure of selecting a bowl from hundreds of one-of-a-kind hand-crafted bowls donated by Grants Pass area artists and Options’ clients.

To donate bowls please contact the  Empty Bowls chairs.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

More about Empty Bowls

empty-bowls-logoFounded by Lisa Blackburn and Art teacher John Hartom in 1990-91 when they joined a drive to raise charitable funds in his Michigan community. Hartom’s idea was to organize a charitable event to give artists and art students a way to make a personal difference. Hartom’s students made ceramic bowls in their high school art classes. The finished products were then used as individual serving pieces for a fund-raising meal of soup and bread. Contributing guests kept the empty bowl. During the next year, Hartom and other participants developed this concept into “Empty Bowls”.

Visit the official Empty Bowls website.

 

 

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