Facing Hunger Foodbank Executive Director Cynthia Kirkhart visited Marshall University’s Art Warehouse Tuesday, Feb. 24, for a behind-the-scenes view of the food bank’s largest fundraiser of the year, Empty Bowls.
Kirkhart spoke about the impact of the class of 10 students tasked with producing a chunk of this year’s bowl count.
“Your efforts and the range of money that we have brought in with Empty Bowls has been anywhere from $13,000 to almost $20,000,” Kirkhart said. “You really are the best source of money that I’ve come across, and I’ve worked with nonprofits for 30 years.”
Frederick Bartolovic, Marshall assistant professor of ceramics, described how unique the opportunity was to his students.
“One of the great things about this class is what you can begin to see through the process,” Bartolovic said. “It gives students the opportunity to see how they, as artists, can make an impact on the community, and I think that’s something that’s very challenging within art education and within academia in general. In this class, that experience is much more direct than in another studio class.”
Kaitlin Blatt, sophomore ceramics major, said she was inspired by Kirkhart’s visit and learning more about the how the proceeds from Empty Bowls help feed people.
“I knew with Empty Bowls I’d have an impact, but I didn’t realize just how great it would be,” Blatt said. “That lit the fire, and I’m just ready to do all the bowls I can.”
“$1 will provide the foundation for seven meals. Twenty-thousand dollars (an amount raised at a single Empty Bowls event) can mean 140,000 meals just from Empty Bowls in one year,” Kirkhart said. “That’s an impact that few of us get to enjoy.”
Huntington’s 12th annual Empty Bowls is scheduled from 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Friday, April 17, at First Presbyterian Church. For more information about Empty Bowls, visit www.marshall.edu/emptybowls/. For more information about Facing Hunger Foodbank, visit www.facinghunger.org.
