'Empty Bowls' fundraiser helps fight hunger in Tucson community

Local artists, restaurants, businesses and volunteers are working with Interfaith Community Services (ICS) to give new meaning to the word “potluck” at the 12th annual “Empty Bowls: A Fundraiser to Fight Hunger and Feed Hope” on Saturday, March 4, at the Tucson Chinese Cultural Center, 1288 W. River Road.

“No one should be hungry. I think that everyone should have food and I am passionate about that. Potters, in general, love to eat, so I guess it is not called ‘potluck’ for nothing,” said Mary Swallow, who is coordinating collection of more than 1,500 handmade ceramic bowls for the upcoming fundraiser to combat food insecurity in the community.

Each attendee at the distinctive event will receive a hand-crafted bowl of their choice which can be filled with samples of soups, stews, breads and desserts, courtesy of more than 20 local restaurants and food vendors. Attendees can also participate in a silent auction and raffle featuring unique art, jewelry and other items.

The collaborative endeavor is made possible by the efforts of more than 80 professional and amateur potters, including students through programs at City of Tucson Parks and Recreation who have created 40% of the bowls to date.

“Lots of people are potters because they love to play in the mud and this is a great way for them to do that. I have also found that potters, in general, are generous, kind people. They are very giving and very down to earth and this is something that they really get behind,” said Swallow, an instructor for the city programs who also has a home studio.

Last year, the efforts paid off in spades: Empty Bowls raised a record $145,000 to support programs at ICS, including the food bank, at 2820 W. Ina Road, and the Mobile Food Bank service.

ICS has experienced up to 50% increase in demand over this time last year, according to Anne Thwaits, communications manager for ICS.

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“With general inflation and higher rents and gas prices, demand at the food bank has gone up, and our costs to get food and to supplement food from the Community Food bank have also gone up. Rising prices continue to stretch the limits of family budgets, and food banks nationwide are expanding services to keep up with growing demand,” said Thwaits.

ICS Food Banks are no exception. The Mobile Food Bank — a custom-built truck that distributes frozen meats, dairy, produce and other food staples — has expanded to seven locations citywide.

“We visit areas identified as food deserts because there are no grocery stores within walking distance or on bus routes and transportation to food banks is prohibitive. When our mobile food bank started distributing food, we found that 80% of the people served had never visited a brick and mortar food bank before. There are so many people who needed food but had no way to get it,” said Thwaits.

In addition to providing food and other emergency needs, ICS offers a spectrum of programming dedicated to facilitating self-sufficiency. Programs include Single Mom Scholars, a long-term program that provides wrap-around services to support single moms while they finish college; and Reset, which provides provides broad support for adults and families. The Getting Ahead Workshops and the Bridges Out of Poverty series provide participants with mentorship and education in financial literacy, planning and goal-setting.

“We have great results from participants coming out of our programs and workshops, many of which allow participants to work with cohorts or mentors as they turn their lives around and get to the point where they achieve stability and financial independence,” said Thwaits.