Saint Ursula Academy hosted its annual Empty Bowls event on Sunday, March 10. The Empty Bowls event at Saint Ursula provides awareness about homelessness and hunger in our community through the creation and sale of ceramic bowls. SUA Ceramics students create Raku fired bowls, a Japanese ceramic art form, with direction from their art instructor, Kurt Nicaise. Those students then host a simple meal and sell their handmade bowls to benefit a local organization that combats area hunger. This year, the students raised $1,900, which was donated to the Queen City Kitchen of Walnut Hills.
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.
Queen City Kitchen strives to help alleviate hunger in our community in an environment of respect, care and hospitality. It is Cincinnati’s oldest soup kitchen, operating for more than 40 years. SUA alumna Margie Powell ’10, volunteer and communications coordinator for the Queen City Kitchen, attended the event and spoke to the guests on behalf of the organization. Also featured at the event was Yuuka Ishiu from the Japan-America Society of Greater Cincinnati, who shared a tea ceremony demonstration.
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. “Hunger and homelessness are an ongoing daily struggle for many Cincinnatians. Hosting an event like Empty Bowls brings the issue to light for a group of our future leaders who can continue to make an impact. The Queen City Kitchen offers one solution by providing food with dignity for neighbors in need.”
This is the eighth year Saint Ursula has hosted the Empty Bowls event.