Community gathers to fill Empty Bowls
Empty Bowls celebrated its second year at MCC to honor World Hunger Day. The Empty Bowl is a nation wide event that originated in Michigan in the 1980s by two art instructors.
Empty Bowls was designed to provide aid to and increase awareness of, the needy and the homeless. All the money earned at the event was donated to Paz de Cristo Community Center, an organization who seeks to serve those in need in the East Valley with daily meals, personal care products and empowerment programs.
When attending the Empty Bowls event, one first chooses a ceramic bowl and then is entitled to a portion of soup and a piece of bread. The minimum calorie meal is a reminder of how many poor people around the world live on a meager 300 calories a day.
Everything from food to clay is donated to help make this yearly event happen.
This year Red, White and Brew of Mesa provided the soup, Alpine Valley Bread provided the bread, the Arizona Republic provided the advertisement, and Marjon Ceramics provided the clay for the bowls.Christine Oliviero, Paz de Christo’s volunteer coordinator, said, “The whole community gets involved and the same people having been looking forward to buying the ceramics bowls at the event for the last ten years. They’re an easy Christmas present.”
Many of the ceramic bowls are created by local artists and MCC and ASU students.
Sarah Brodie a graduate from ASU, makes bowls every year. Ron Graham is a big supporter of the event and Peter Hicks makes at least 500 bowls a year.Alix Hornyan, a junior at ASU, started at the Empty Bowls event back in high school by helping to glaze the bowls.
Although the Empty Bowls event has come and gone, Paz de Christo Community Center is always for looking for volunteers and donations.
To contribute one’s time or donations, please contact Paz de Christo at (480) 464-2379.
Volume
44, Issue 6. Today is
Illustration by Scott Seligman/Mesa Legend