Watershed’s inaugural Empty Bowls fundraiser event for the Harvest of Hope Food Pantry brought the Boulder community together for a cause that resonated deeply with its members: tackling food insecurity in our area.
Inspired by the global Empty Bowls movement initiated by artists in 1990, Watershed School was excited to embrace the concept in our own way. Attendees purchased tickets which provided them with a handcrafted ceramic bowl, symbolizing the empty bowls of individuals facing food insecurity. Alongside the bowls, guests enjoyed a simple meal of soup and bread, to be shared with fellow community members.
At the core of this event were several of Watershed’s community partnerships - All proceeds from the Empty Bowls event benefited the Harvest of Hope Food Pantry, a nonprofit dedicated to addressing food insecurity in Boulder and an organization Watershed students have partnered with for many years. Three local restaurants, Bellota, Brasserie Ten Ten, and Lucky’s Market generously donated all of the soup and bread for the evening. In addition, Watershed’s long-term relationship with the Boulder Potters' Guild allowed for its members to generously donate their time and talent, crafting many of the beautiful bowls that were taken home by each of the event’s attendees. Watershed ceramics students contributed bowls they created and volunteered their time to host the event, collecting tickets, serving soup, distributing bowls and more.
Watershed Ceramics educator and member of the Boulder Potters’ Guild, Jeff Osgood said about the event, “Our partnership with the Boulder Potters' Guild was crucial in order to have a successful first run for this fundraiser. The Watershed students worked hard to make bowls, but lacked the time and resources to generate a volume of bowls an event like this requires. The membership of the Guild really stepped up with donating bowls and facilitating a Bowl-a-Thon to create a wonderful selection of bowls for attendees to choose from.”
The combination of donated time, food, and craft made a significant impact - 133 tickets were sold, more than 155 bowls were distributed, and over $4,700 was raised for Harvest of Hope through this event! It was a reminder that small actions, when combined with the power of community, can truly affect change. We can’t wait to do it again next year!
