Empty Bowls’ motto, ‘until there are no more empty bowls,’ emphasizes the community’s lack of food security and reminds everyone to help those in need.
SYRACUSE, N.Y. (NCC News) – From varying sizes, different colors, intricate designs, to unique rims, hundreds of bowls were laid out on tables at Syracuse University’s Nancy Cantor Warehouse. People formed a line to peruse through the bowls and admire the distinct artistry each dish offered before selecting their favorite.
“Every bowl is different and matches up to a different person,” said Marnie Day, a local artist from Clayscapes Pottery.
While some event goers purchased bowls with distinctive patterns and glossy shines from glaze, others bought more simple and practical dishes. All the proceeds will help the Syracuse community fight food insecurity.
Along with Syracuse University Ceramics and Clayscapes Pottery, the Interreligious Food Consortium (IFC) hosted its annual Empty Bowls event on Oct. 4 to fundraise money for its mission of fighting hunger in Onondaga County.
For a $25 donation towards the IFC, people received soup and a handcrafted bowl at Empty Bowls.
The IFC
The IFC is a small, not for profit organization, playing a large role in Syracuse’s emergency food network.
“We serve the people that don’t get served by the food bank,” IFC Executive Director Kate Artessa said. “They get overlooked… We also supplement because the food bank only gives so much.”
Some services the IFC provide include:
- Serves and distributes food to 30 to 40 small, under-resourced pantries
- Helps with senior housing
- Assists crisis response providers such as case managers, social workers, and educators
- Functions as a referral service, helping individuals locate the food pantry that serves their neighborhood
One way the IFC can provide these services is through fundraising. Its Empty Bowls event brings in many donations to help the organization succeed.
EMPTY BOWLS IS A COMMUNITY EFFORT
The IFC collaborated with many people and businesses to get the bowls and soup for its event.
“There are artists from all over the upstate area that contribute,” said volunteer Darryl Wood.
Restaurants in the downtown area also took part in the event.
“I think that most of the restaurants are just happy to do it,” Artessa said. “It’s something that they feel good about themselves and that they can help out. I think people need to be reminded because we’re on our daily path, and we don’t always think that there’s people out there in need.”
EMPTY BOWLS SUCCESS
Empty Bowls gathered Syracuse locals, art admirers, and the lunch crowd.
The event started with about 1,300 handcrafted bowls and sold around 1,100 of them. This community effort raised over $25,000 for the IFC to be able to fulfill its mission: addressing food insecurity in the city of Syracuse and Onondaga County.
“If people get this beautiful bowl…, they put it in their cupboard,” said Artessa. “The next time they look at it, [it reminds them] somebody’s hungry, somebody doesn’t have a bowl of soup, or somebody doesn’t have a full bowl.’”
FOOD INSECURITY
Empty Bowls is just one initiative the IFC hosts to combat food insecurity in its community.
Food security is when an individual has reliable access to affordable, nutritious food. When people aren’t sure where their next meal is coming from because they lack access to food, their food security is low.
According to Feeding America, Onondaga County has a 12.3% food insecurity rate as of 2022.
NATIONAL INITIATIVE
Syracuse isn’t the only area that faces hunger. Every county in the US faces food insecurity according to Feeding America.
As this issue persists across the nation, so does Empty Bowls. Originated in Michigan by art teacher John Hartom in 1990, the Empty Bowls initiative spread across the nation to raise money and awareness for those in need.
Syracuse’s first Empty Bowls event happened in 2004 and has been going 20 years strong.
With the success of this year’s Empty Bowl event, the IFC will use the donations to pursue their goals and mission. One day, Artessa hopes her organization will not be needed anymore.
“My philosophy is that someday I’d like to be extinct or not needed anymore because that means that people have enough [to eat],” said Artessa. “We’re filling a need right now, but it would be nice not to have to do that because people have enough.”
Video Transcript: Empty Bowls 2024
Julie Herman: I’m a member at Clayscapes, and they had a call for volunteers. And, I though it was a great way to spend the day raising money for the food bank.
Darryl Wood: There are artists from all over the upstate area who contribute. Clayscapes, Syracuse University, individual artists all donate their time and labor to do this for the fundraiser
Julie Herman: I do a little bit of everything. I do some wheel throwing. I make a lot of bowls. I also do some sculpting too and some tile making