Our fundraiser ran from October 2 to November 6, 2026, and thanks to our generous donors, we raised $1,095.09! This was our first year partnering with this annual project, and we’re excited to keep supporting it in the years to come.
About Empty Bowls
"Empty Bowls" events raise money for food-based charities by selling handmade bowls. Empty Bowls is a grass-roots movement that began in the 1990s in Michigan; it has grown to include cities around the world. Potters collaborate to support food charities in their community with Empty Bowls Events. Monica Linford became familiar with Empty Bowls by participating in a Salt Lake City Empty Bowls Event promoted by Clay Arts Utah in the early 2000s. She has coordinated annual Empty Bowls Events in Ogden since 2022.
When Monica earned her master's degree in English, she took a "Life Writing" course by Professor Judy Elsley, whose PhD consisted of exploring "quilting as text." Monica adapted this idea to ceramic art. She now teaches an Honors Dept. course called, "Words and Wares," at Weber State University (WSU) during fall semesters. Students in the class write creative nonfiction essays that are complemented by hand-built ceramic projects. Monica's students also make and donate two bowls to WSU Empty Bowls and are required to volunteer at the Empty Bowls Event.
The Words and Wares course is designated as an official Community Engaged Learning (CEL) course with a "High-Impact Educational Experience" (HIEE). WSU students are encouraged to complete at least 2 HIEEs prior to graduation. A requirement of the CEL designation is to collaborate with community partners. The WSU Empty Bowls Events have worked with Eccles Community Art Center and the Monarch in downtown Ogden, Utah. In 2026), they partnered with Educar es Sembrar as well as the Monarch to host the WSU Empty Bowls Event; the event was part of Ogden's First Friday Art Stroll in November.
Bowls for the Empty Bowls Event are created at a community event called a "Bowl-a-Thon." In September, local potters gathered at Earth in Art Pottery studio at the Make So.Ogden collective to make wheel-thrown and hand-built bowls. Approximately 250 bowls were thrown in a single day at this event. These bowls were fired at potter's studios and transported to WSU to be glazed in the WSU Ceramic Studio (with Professor Stephen Wolochowicz). Local potters also donated additional finished work. A complete WSU Empty Bowls Event offers approximately 400 hand-built bowls for sale.
WSU Empty Bowls held its 5th event in 2026. Prior events raised over $27,000 for the Weber Cares Food Pantry. A 2026 "surplus sale" will be held on November 17th at WSU Union Building to sell the remaining inventory as the final portion of the 2026 WSU Empty Bowls Event. The 2026 event is expected to increase that total to over $30,000 raised for the Weber Cares Food Pantry.
