6th Annual

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Friday, November 9, 2012 - 4 pm to 9 pm

The Covered Bridge Room at Kimberton Fire Company

2276 Kimberton Road, Phoenixville, PA 19460

Please join us for a simple meal of soup and bread —
and help fight hunger in our community.

Each participant selects a hand crafted bowl created by area artists and students.
Keep your bowl as a reminder of the need to end hunger locally and globally.

Tickets $20  -  Dine in and take out available

Please, no alcohol at this event

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Register Now! Online registration will close at 12 noon on Friday, November 9. 
If tickets are still available, they will be sold at the door.

If you wish to pay by check, please call PACS at (610) 933-1105, ext. 214.

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Empty Bowls...A grassroots movement to
help end hunger and food insecurity

In 1990, a high school art teacher in Michigan helped his students search for a way to raise funds to support a food drive to feed hungry residents of their community.  What evolved was a class project with students crafting ceramic bowls for a fund raising meal.  Guests were served a simple meal of soup and bread.  They were invited to keep their bowls as a reminder of hunger in their midst and throughout the world.

What one group of students began in their art class was the seed for changing many lives.  By the following year, the originators had developed this concept into Empty Bowls - a project to provide support for food banks, soup kitchens, and other organizations that fight hunger.  Since then, Empty Bowls events have been held throughout the world, and millions of dollars have been raised to combat hunger (www.emptybowls.net).

The Phoenixville area’s tradition with Empty Bowls began in November, 2007.  The Holck family, owners of Artisans Gallery & Café, planned and hosted the event.  Phoenixville Area Community Services (PACS) was the charity chosen to benefit from funds raised.  The first year's event was a huge success in turnout of supporters and in funds contributed to fight hunger locally.  But the added value has been the enormous enthusiasm of Empty Bowls participants and donors.

Each year, the number of sponsors, supporters and contributors has grown as has the list of professional and budding artists that craft the bowls.  Popular pottery workshops have been offered by both Phoenix Village Art Center and Chester Springs Studio to teach novice potters how to create bowls which are then donated to help raise funds for PACS.   An estimated 600 donated bowls are anticipated for the 2012 event!  What an amazing outpouring of caring from all of our partners and supporters. We couldn't do it without all of you!

The number of our neighbors who are hungry is continuing to grow in 2012-2013:

• An average of 197 households receive food each month - up 4% over last year.

• Most surprising is the number of hungry children currently averages 177 per month - a huge jump of 42% over the prior year!

Thanks to generous donors, PACS' emergency pantry also supplies the hungry with toiletry items, paper products, diapers and other essential supplies.

Without the emergency pantry - and the support of our caring community of donors - approximately 515 Phoenixville area residents would go hungry every month.  Your support of Empty Bowls and PACS makes a meaningful difference, not just in providing essential food and supplies, but in giving people hope.  

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Thank you for helping us not only feed our neighbors in need,
but allowing us to provide them with resources, referrals and encouragement
as they work to get back on their feet!