Joint Effort between Art Department and Community Service Learning Department Brings in $2,410
Cincinnati, Ohio, March 24, 2016 – Saint Ursula Academy hosted its 5th Annual Empty Bowls event on Sunday, March 13. In all, nearly 200 people attended the event and students raised more than $2,400, which was donated to City Gospel Mission (GCM).
The Empty Bowls event at Saint Ursula provides awareness about homelessness and hunger in our community through the creation and sale of ceramic bowls. The theme for this year was "From Heart to Hands" and focused on mercy. Students created Raku fired bowls, a Japanese ceramic art form.
Guests who attended the event made a monetary donation in exchange for a simple meal of soup and bread. For their donation, they could also choose a fired bowl to take home. The selected bowl was designed to remain empty in solidarity with those who live with hunger every day. Saint Ursula Academy Religion Teacher Chris Potter's prayer class wrote intentional prayers centered on mercy which were printed on vellum paper with the Japanese Kanji symbol for mercy. Each bowl contained one of the prayers. This year, 100% of the proceeds were gifted to City Gospel Mission.
City Gospel Mission provides food, shelter and recovery programs for individuals who are homeless or trying to escape addiction. Saint Ursula Academy was joined by Stockton Wulsin, Advancement Director for CGM, who shared an overview of its program with Empty Bowls guests.
Peggy Platz ’84, Community Service Learning Coordinator, sees how events like Empty Bowls can help an organization, but also how it can empower students to make a difference in the lives of others. “Hosting an event like Empty Bowls brings the dark stigma of homelessness and hunger to light. It is an ongoing daily struggle for many Cincinnatians which we as a society tend to ignore, or brush aside. City Gospel Mission embraces the individual at their darkest hour and focuses on their humanity.”
St. Ursula Academy is a Catholic, college-preparatory, secondary school for young women known for academic excellence and rich tradition. St. Ursula welcomes students from more than 70 grade schools in the Greater Cincinnati area. In 2002 the Academy was recognized by the U.S. Department of Education as a Blue Ribbon School. The campus, located at 1339 E. McMillan Street in East Walnut Hills has been the home of St. Ursula Academy and Convent since 1910. The Class of 2015 earned college scholarships totaling more than $19-million.
###
Photo: caption: Saint Ursula students present the Empty Bowls check to City Gospel Mission: Shown L-R: Allison Upham, Emma Weisbrod, Kate Liesch, Kelli Bertoia, Delaney Dolle, City Gospel Mission’s Stockton Wulsin, SUA Art Teacher Kurt Nicaise, Shelby Schwarz, Maddie Hancock, Sara Shinn, Alaze Baker