December 12, 2019  3:35pm CT

ETHS students Nora Miller (left) and Abra Levin volunteering at the Empty Bowl event on December 4, 2019.

For the past 20 years, Evanston Township High School has hosted its annual Empty Bowl event to support local soup kitchens and food pantries. On December 4, staff and students from the ETHS Community Service Club, Career & Technical Education (culinary), Fine Arts (ceramics), and staff from Operations and Nutrition Services coordinated the event to help raise awareness and funds to fight local hunger.

Over 400 people attended Empty Bowl 2019 and had the opportunity to purchase a meal and a handmade ceramic bowl during ETHS lunch periods. In addition, over 40 ceramic pieces were donated by local artists, businesses, and organizations for a silent auction. With help from more than 35 student volunteers, this year’s Empty Bowl event raised more than $4,500. Each year, the event uses a “food re-distribution” approach, with local soup kitchens receiving soups, chili, bread, and cookies leftover from the event. 

Many local businesses and organizations have supported Empty Bowl at ETHS, including Great Harvest Bread Co., Bagel Art, Evanston Art Center, The Pot Shop, Robert Crown Community Center, Midwest Clay Guild, and ETHS Boosters, and the Wilmette Park District. 

In addition to these organizations, individual ceramic donations were provided by Evanston community member Susan Thompson, Jill Birschbach of the Midwest Clay Guild, ETHS fine arts teacher Petra Maton, and ETHS senior Mayher Matharu. 

For more information about Empty Bowl at ETHS, contact Diana Balitaan, Community Service Coordinator, at ethscommunityservice@eths.k12.il.us.