(WNY News Now) – Jamestown’s Empty Bowls Project offers a unique chance to enjoy a hearty meal, purchase handmade pottery, and help those facing food insecurity during the holiday season.
The holidays are the most “giving time of the year.” We spend many hours pondering and procuring the perfect gifts to give to our loved ones. As while we are in the giving mood, we also remember those who are in need and unlikely to receive life’s basic necessities. Rarely do these holiday prerogatives coalesce in one opportunity—but Empty Bowls Project provides both. It is a unique occasion to purchase handmade, artisanal pottery for someone special while also caring for those in need.
St. Luke’s Church and the Jamestown Public and Mobile Market are teaming up with the Chautauqua County Empty Bowls to host the 3 rd Annual Empty Bowl Project in Jamestown on Saturday, December 7 th from 11am to 2pm.
Locally, this event is sponsored by Chautauqua County Empty Bowls, a loosely organized assembly of the area’s amateur and professional potters. Many of these individuals work together at Mudslingers, the pottery studio owned and operated by Ron Nasca in downtown Fredonia. Others in the group work in their own studios and some from Pearl City Clay House. Over the years the fund drive has met with growing success in Fredonia and it made its debut Jamestown in 2022.
While numerous individuals have created the hundreds of beautiful, one-of-a-kind bowls, none are signed by the maker. Instead, they are imprinted with the “Empty Bowls” logo thus continuing to remind the user that there are hungry persons in the world. The bowls come in sizes designed to acknowledge contributions of $10, $20, and $30.
During the Season of Advent when many are preparing for the holiday season and looking for the perfect Christmas gift, this event will allow you to come get in the holiday season with bowl of soup, the opportunity to walk away with a one-of-a-kind gift AND to help address food insecurity in our own community. The soup is donated by the Labyrinth Press Company, Ashville General Store and numerous community members.
Proceeds from the event will benefit the Jamestown Mobile Market, which takes food to the food desert areas of Jamestown to ensure that local residents have access to fresh produce and as well as provide emergency food assist via St. Susan’s Soup Kitchen. Last year we raised nearly $16,000.
This is your opportunity to buy an empty bowl and fill your own stomach and someone else in need. If you would like to volunteer to help serve soup or wrap the bowls, call the St. Luke’s Church office (716.483.6405).
Leave a Reply