Held in Alaska since 1994, the Empty Bowl Project has brought together over 1,000 Alaskans each year as a grassroots initiative aimed at raising awareness and funds to combat hunger and remind everyone about the empty bowls in our community.
Local artists and community members create and donate handcrafted bowls. Attendees pay a ticket price, which includes soup and cornbread, live entertainment, kids activities and more!
At the heart of Bean’s Cafe’s Empty Bowl Project is the generosity and creativity of local artists. Each bowl tells a story. Shaped, turned, glazed, and finished by hand, representing hours of donated labor given in service to the community.
Initially, the Empty Bowl Project was started by Alaskan artists. For decades, they have donated thousands of one-of-a-kind ceramic and wooden bowls. No two bowls are alike, reflecting the individuality, skill, and care of their creators.
Their work transforms a simple bowl into a lasting reminder of compassion, connecting attendees directly to the mission of Bean’s Cafe and to the people who believe that art can help nourish a community.
By choosing a handmade bowl, guests carry home a tangible symbol of generosity, one created by a local artist who chose to stand with their neighbors facing hunger.
When you support the Empty Bowl Project, you help put food on the table for those who need it most. Attendance, sponsorship, and auction donations ensure families, children, elders, and individuals have access to nourishing meals, building food security today and stability for tomorrow.
