Empty Bowls Project
Union College project raises awareness, funds for charity
Proctors hosted the first edition of The Empty Bowls Project of Schenectady on April 25, 2010.
Organized and run by student volunteers through Union College’s Kenney Community Center, the event aims to benefit hunger relief programs in Schenectady and raise awareness of the issue of food instability in the region. Each participant receives a hand-crafted ceramic bowl made by students from Union College and Schenectady City Schools. By leaving with an “empty bowl,” each participant is reminded that hunger exists everywhere, including in our own community. Dinner and entertainment is also part of the event.
Proceeds have benefited local charities such as the Bethesda House, Schenectady City Mission and Concern for the Hungry.
Empty Bowls began in 1991 in Detroit, Michigan with teacher John Hartom’s effort to raise money for hunger alleviation in his local community. The event has since spread independently across the United States.