Local potters, woodworkers, and glassblowers have spent countless hours making bowls this past year to donate to Empty Bowls, an annual event that raises funds to help fill the empty bowls of Pierce County residents in need.

Empty Bowls is an annual tradition enjoyed by more than 500 people each year. Attendees search through more than 1,000 handcrafted bowls made by local artists to find their favorites. Once selections are made and purchased, with all proceeds going to Emergency Food Network (EFN), guests make their way to eat free soup, donated and served by Café Pacific Catering, Chambers Bay Grill, Happy Belly, Infinite Soups, Pacific Grill, Stanley and Seaforts, and The Swiss Restaurant and Pub.

This year’s Empty Bowls event is Saturday, November 23, 2019 at Charles Wright Academy from 1:00 pm – 3:00 pm. Admission is FREE. Bowl prices start at $5.

Empty Bowls began as a grassroots project for local artists and community members to work together to assist people suffering from hunger. The event now spans to twelve countries and many states across the U.S., generating millions of dollars for various hunger relief agencies. For the last 20 years, EFN has hosted Empty Bowls in Pierce County, highlighting works from talented veteran artists and new local talent. In 2018, EFN raised over $38,000 from Empty Bowls that provided 190,000 meals for food-insecure residents in Pierce County.

The Lead and Supporting Sponsors for this year’s Empty Bowls event include Toyota Lift Northwest, Whole Foods Market, HomeStreet Bank, TOTE Maritime Alaska, and Sound Credit Union.

The continued success of Empty Bowls is due to the overwhelming community support from artists who donate the bowls, volunteers who set up and help run the event, local restaurants that donate soup, and the 500-plus community members who attend the event.