Empty Bowls

Fight hunger one bowl at a time.
Want to learn more? Contact info@emptybowlsmckinney.com.

Empty Bowls McKinney is an annual fundraising event that brings together artists and the community to “fight hunger one bowl at a time.” The premise is simple: professional artists, student artists, and community members create handcrafted bowls, and guests come to share samples of soups and sweets. Guests take home an empty handcrafted bowl as a reminder of all the empty bowls in the local community and of children and adults who go to bed hungry. Empty Bowls McKinney is modeled on the grass-roots Empty Bowls effort that was created in 1990 to make a difference for hungry people in the local community. Each Empty Bowls event is unique to the town or city it serves, and reflects the commitment of artists and others to feed the hungry people who live there.

Empty Bowls McKinney began in 2012 in the parish hall at St. Peter’s Episcopal Church. The first event featured the work of two local artists, hosted 100 people, and raised $4,500. At the tenth anniversary event in 2021, Empty Bowls McKinney included the work of more than 100 local artists.  Fourteen McKinney-area restaurants and chefs served soups and sweets to a sold out event, and the event raised over $87,000—almost 20 times the amount of the first event—to fight hunger in Collin County. Proceeds from Empty Bowls McKinney support food initiatives at Community Lifeline Center and Community Garden Kitchen.

Community Lifeline Center has served McKinney and northern Collin County residents for more than 30 years. CLC provides rent, utilities, and food assistance to individuals and families who are experiencing a short-term financial crisis. www.communitylifeline.org

Community Garden Kitchen strives to be a center of hope and compassion, ensuring that no one in our community suffers the fear and distress of food insecurity. Community Garden Kitchen provides meals to anyone in need, no questions asked, no paperwork required. www.communitygardenkitchen.org