Teenagers know that there is nothing worse than an empty bowl. It means you’ve run out of chips or popcorn or cereal (unless you eat it straight out of the box, which seems to be a disturbingly common habit throughout the Scout staff). But for some, the bowl is almost always empty due to financial hardship, lack of housing, or lack of access to healthy food. That’s where the generosity of our community and a few ceramic bowls created by Frederick students comes in.

For the first time since before the Coronavirus Pandemic, Frederick High is partnering with the Carbon Valley Help Center to host an event for the Empty Bowls Project, which is an annual event that occurs nationwide to support those who may not have access to food, are homeless, or are significantly struggling financially in some other way. This year’s event will take place from 11:00 am to 2:00 pm on Saturday, March 12 at Frederick High.

So what happens at Empty Bowls? All participants must purchase a ticket ($15 per person when purchased in advance, $20 if purchased at the door). These participants then get a meal of soup, bread, and dessert donated from local restaurants. And then there’s the artwork, of course.

“For the past twenty years, Frederick High School has been creating bowls in our ceramics classes to donate to the local Empty Bowls Project,” says Mr. Tom Steele, an Art Teacher at Frederick High. “This process began with Mary Doubeck who taught art here for many years, and also volunteered her time with the Our Center in Longmont.”

With a donation to the Empty Bowls project, those who attend will “receive a handcrafted ceramic bowl to take home as a reminder of those who face hunger every day,” according to the Carbon Valley Help Center website. All proceeds, from ticket sales to donations given, will go to the Help Center and be directed to the community. “[Your donation] will help pay utility bills, rent or mortgage payments, and auto repairs for those in need in Carbon Valley.”

The Empty Bowls project is not just happening in Federick but throughout the country during the month of March. “The Empty Bowls Project is one that I believe started with a potter in Texas. He decided to make a bunch of bowls for a charity event,” Mr. Steele told us. This is fitting, as those in our community with a farming background know of March as “The Hungry Month,” as it’s historically been the month where the last of the canned and frozen foods from the harvest is consumed before the availability of early spring crops.

With some in our community still struggling with the effects of the pandemic and several families made homeless by the Marshall Fire staying in our community, this event is more important than ever. We at The Scout encourage you to attend this event to support those in the Carbon Valley community who are in need of support. You can purchase tickets here, and if you can’t make it on Saturday, please consider making a donation directly to the Help Center online. Let’s live in a community where the only Empty Bowls we see are the ones beautifully painted and glazed by Frederick’s art students.