Carson City Empty Bowls Project culminates with Dec. 2 fundraiser

After collecting as many pottery bowls as possible throughout the year, the local Empty Bowls Project is holding its annual fundraiser Friday, Dec. 2 at the First Presbyterian Church in downtown Carson City to deliver a blow to hunger in the community.

“The goal of Empty Bowls is to raise hunger awareness and eventually stamp out hunger,” said project organizer Robin McGregor, who started Empty Bowls in Carson City four years ago.

Empty Bowls is a nationwide movement started more than two decades ago by potters as a way to raise hunger awareness in their communities, said McGregor, who co-owns Carson City Art Gallery and Pottery with her husband, Rich.

“The basic premise is simple,” she said. “Potters and craftspeople, educators and others work with the community to create hand-crafted bowls.”

Those bowls are then purchased at the annual holiday fundraiser with a donation, McGregor said, the sum of which is collected and given to a local food distribution program that delivers food to the hungry in Carson City.

This year’s fundraiser is asking for donations of $20 per adult and $5 for each child under age 12, McGregor said.

Friday’s fundraiser donation includes one artisan bowl and admission to enjoy a meal featuring locally made soup donated by Carson restaurants and organizations, she said.

“Guests are invited to a simple meal of soup and bread,” McGregor said. “In exchange for a donation, guests choose a bowl as a reminder of all the empty bowls in their community. The money raised is donated to an organization working to end hunger and food insecurity.”

Proceeds from this year’s fundraiser will go to the food program at Friends In Service Helping (FISH), a local 501(c)3 private non-profit social services organization that provides help and assistance to the homeless and needy in Carson City, Lyon and Douglas counties.

Empty Bowls in Carson City is a months-long bowl drive that runs nearly the entire year in preparation for the December fundraiser. The process includes seemingly endless collecting and/or creating bowls to be purchased by donation at the holiday event.

“She’s done a tone of work to make it happen,” said Rich McGregor about his wife’s efforts on behalf of the project.

More than $9,000 was raised for the FISH food program at last year’s fundraising event, said Robin McGregor, who introduced Empty Bowls to Carson City in 2013.

Monetary donations for more than 600 bowls were collected at the inaugural fundraiser, she said, generating over $2,700 to fight against hunger in Carson City.

“This year we are set to raise even more for FISH by expanding our efforts and involving even more participants in the area,” Robin McGregor said.

Empty Bowls had a presence at several special events around town in 2016, including weekly workshops held every Saturday through the summer at the Third and Curry Farmer’s Market.

The project fundraising event will be held from 5 to 8 p.m. on Dec. 2 at the First Presbyterian Church, located at 306 W. Musser Street in downtown Carson City, occurring in conjunction with the annual Silver and Snowflake Festival of Lights held on and around the State Capitol.

A raffle will be held as part of the fundraiser, too, McGregor said, consisting of donated select hand-made bowls, other artwork and merchandise. The drawings begin at 6:30 pm.

Raffle winners must be present to win, she said, and for prizes not claimed by 7:45 p.m., those items will be redrawn for.

For more information and to volunteer or donate items for the event raffle, contact Robin McGregor with Empty Bowls Carson City via email at either emptybowlscc@yahoo.com or carsoncityart@yahoo.com.

Interested persons can also stop by Carson City Art Gallery and Pottery at 110 S. Curry Street — at the corner of second street — in downtown Carson City, or call the gallery at 775-313-8628.

Like Empty Bowls Carson City and the Carson City Art Gallery and Pottery on Facebook here and here, respectively, or visit the gallery’s web site here.