Empty Bowls Event

Thank you for joining us Sunday, April 19 in Making a Difference!
A benefit for Fresh Food Partnership-Raising Funds and Awareness to Fight Hunger throughout the Grand Traverse Region

Thank you ArtCenter! ArtCenter Traverse City 2009 Bowl Making Workshop

2009 Event Summary: The new venue worked! In just three hours, volunteers and Great Lakes Culinary Institute students served over 600 guests at the 7th Annual Empty Bowls^TM event on Sunday, April 19 at  the Hagerty Center in Traverse City. While there, guests had the chance to try soups from 34 local restaurants. From Maybing's Vegan Coconut Curry to The Catch's Cuban Black Bean, we had it all. In addition, we had a variety of artistic, handmade bowls coming from all over the 5-county area.

The unique opportunity for guests to have a delicious, meal while listening to live music, take home a handmade bowl, have a chance to win unique, handcrafted local art and make a difference makes the Empty Bowls^TM event truly special. Thank you to everyone involved for being part of this wonderful event. Funds raised will help the Fresh Food Partnership fight hunger and support local agriculture. 

About the Empty Bowls™ Event: it is both a joyous community gathering and an opportunity to show support for the Fresh Food Partnership. Over 500 people join together in April for a simple but delicious meal of soup, bread, and beverages as they are entertained by music. The food is donated by the Grand Traverse Area's finest restaurants and producers. Before leaving, everyone will be invited to select a hand-made ceramic bowl donated by a local student or artist as a reminder of all the empty bowls in the world.

For information, please contact the Fresh Food Partnership at coordinator@freshfoodpartnership.org.

Proceeds raised at the event are “put to work” by the Fresh Food Partnership, a coalition of nonprofit organizations and volunteers working to buy and distribute locally grown fruits and vegetables from area farmers to local food pantries for people in need. 

About the national Empty Bowls™ program: Empty Bowls^TM is an internationally recognized program available for individual communities to use in an effort to raise hunger awareness and to help feed the hungry within their community. The fundraising concept has a second mission as well, to advocate for arts education and involve students in community service. The Empty Bowls^TM concept was created by an artist/teacher in Bloomfield Hills in 1990. Learn more at www.emptybowls.org.