On the evening of February 20th, Watershed School hosted its second annual Boulder Empty Bowls Fundraiser, an event that brought together artists, community members, and local businesses for a meaningful cause: addressing food insecurity in Boulder. Despite the cold weather, our sold-out event saw nearly all 150 ticket holders come together to support the fight against hunger, with funds raised benefiting Boulder’s Harvest of Hope Food Pantry.
A key element that made this event so special was Watershed’s collaboration with the Boulder Potters' Guild. The Guild, whose talented members crafted 115 beautiful handmade ceramic bowls to be sold as part of the fundraising effort, has been an instrumental partner in the event. Watershed ceramics educator Jeff Osgood, a member of the Guild, also worked closely with students in class to create an additional stunning array of bowls for the fundraiser. This year, the Watershed ceramics students held their first evening Bowl-a-thon prior to the fundraiser and contributed 75 handmade bowls in addition to those donated by the Potters’ Guild, adding to the beautiful selection from which attendees could choose to take home as a reminder of the evening.
Guests arrived at the event and were immediately directed to the bowl selection room, where they had the opportunity to pick out their handmade piece. Everyone then gathered in our larger event space to enjoy a delicious community meal featuring soup and bread, generously donated by three local restaurants: Lucky’s Bakehouse/Cafe, Dish Gourmet, and West End Tavern. As guests enjoyed their meals, they heard remarks from Jeff, who spoke about the efforts of our students as well as the role of the Boulder Potters' Guild and its commitment to community engagement. Kelsey, the Director of Development at Harvest of Hope, shared insights into the pantry’s mission and the important work they are doing to support Boulder’s residents facing food insecurity.
““There’s so much to love about having an event like this that intersects with a class. It teaches students about a real need in our own community. It allows students to internalize the understanding that they can do something right now to make change— they don’t have to wait until they’re adults or have more resources. As an art teacher, the Empty Bowls event allows me to challenge students to push their skills and intention toward making work that is appealing to an external party. That’s one avenue for making better artists.” ”
The success of this year’s event was truly inspiring, with a total of $7,093 raised! Of this amount, $3,750 came from ticket sales, and the remaining $3,343 was from donations (including a last-minute gift of $1,000!) and the sale of the handcrafted bowls. Thanks to the generosity of attendees and local businesses, the funds raised will provide over 7,500 meals for those in need.
We want to extend a heartfelt thank you to everyone who participated, volunteered, and donated. This event was a shining example of what can be accomplished when a community comes together to support those in need, one bowl at a time.
““Harvest of Hope Pantry is so grateful to partner with Watershed School on Empty Bowls. This event is a stark reminder of what many community members face daily; an empty bowl, empty plate, or empty belly. By providing over 7,500 meals for the pantry, Watershed students and community members are helping us meet the growing needs of our neighbors in a way that would be nearly impossible without the support.” ”
To learn about what is going on at Harvest of Hope Pantry or for information about getting involved, you can check out their website or newsletter!
Empty Bowls is a national effort to address local food insecurity. You can learn more here!
