A host of adults and children from all walks of life will gather on Saturday, June 5, not only to eat, but also for an opportunity to help feed other hungry neighbors in San Diego. The event, known as the Empty Bowls brunch, takes place from 10:30 a.m. to noon at St. Peter’s by the Sea Lutheran Church at the corner of Sunset Cliffs Boulevard and Point Loma Avenue. Here’s the deal. With a $20 donation, participants may choose from hundreds of bowls of various shapes, colors and sizes crafted by local potters, before filling them for a meal. “The best thing is to watch little kids pick their bowls,” said Giovanna Iaffaldano, publicity coordinator for Empty Bowls and a potter herself. “The kids will pick out some very interesting things that an adult will not consider. When we ask them why they picked [certain] bowls, they say, ‘It reminds me of a turtle,’ or ‘It reminds me of something I did for my mom.’ It’s really cute.” Once participants have decided on a bowl, they can fill it with food for themselves. This year, the entrees include quiches, fruit and pastries. In the past, restaurants have supplied soup and bread. Then, participants can eat with and mingle with a mix of people who share their passion for art and concern for the most vulnerable in our city. “Bowls are usually worth more than $20,” Iaffaldano said. “Good potters sell their bowls for $26 to $30.” Organizers said this will be San Diego’s fifth year hosting Empty Bowls at various locations in the city. The international event began in 1990 when a high school art teacher in Michigan and his students raised money for hungry people by serving a simple meal in homemade ceramic bowls. It was introduced to San Diego by two local potters, Lynn Render and Lynn Zimmer. Two Empty Bowls events are held in San Diego each year. Last year, both events raised a total of $13,500 for the hungry. And word is getting out. On May 7, during the first event of 2011, Empty Bowls raised $13,000 in just two hours. Iaffaldano is hopeful that Empty Bowls will exceed last year’s total after Saturday’s event in Ocean Beach. All of the proceeds go to Third Avenue Charitable Organization (TACO), a local organization that serves homeless, elderly and working poor people — primarily in downtown San Diego. Through their partners, TACO offers free meals, health clinics and counseling services to hundreds of people each week, mostly at First Lutheran Church downtown. For more information, call (619) 224-2984, or visit www.emptybowls.-net or www.tacosd.org.
