Faculty and students in the Department of Visual Arts at Georgia Southwestern State University (GSW), along with Harvest of Hope Food Pantry and local restaurants, are coming together for its 10^th annual ‘Empty Bowls’ event to feed the hungry by selling hand-crafted ceramic bowls and delicious soup. 

GSW Department of Visual Arts, the Ceramics program, and student organization Artists United are sponsoring ‘Empty Bowls’ which will take place on Saturday, Nov. 4 from 9 a.m. until 1 p.m. at the Harvest of Hope Food Pantry at 606 McGarrah St., Americus, GA 31709. 

This year marks the event’s 10^th anniversary, and is the first since the retirement of longtime Director Rev. Sonny Pinckard, and his wife, Ginger, who helped establish Harvest of Hope in 2013 serving approximately 150 families. The Christian-based, nonprofit organization now serves anywhere from 750-1,000 families in need per month, and will be led by Chris and Rhonda Slocumb, associate professor in GSW’s College of Nursing and Health Sciences.

The goals for this year are to honor the Pinckard’s many years of service and sell over 200 bowls at $25 each. Majority of the proceeds collected from this event will benefit Harvest of Hope, the remainder will go towards GSW visual arts students’ attendance to a national conference in Richmond, VA and a visit to the Smithsonian Museum in Washington, D.C. this coming March.

This year, local restaurants Pat’s Place and Little Brother’s Bistro have donated soup for the event. With the purchase of a ceramic bowl, participants will receive a soup voucher that can be redeemed at one of these local restaurants (while supplies last). Volunteers are also making baked goods to help when the soup vouchers run out. Bowl cozies made by GSW nursing students and faculty will also be for sale 

Bowls are made by GSW students Noah Miller, Alexis Glass, Kayla Crisp, Dulce Sarmiento, Emeritus Professor Ralph Harvey, and GSW Professor Keaton Wynn.