Empty Bowls is a fundraiser and awareness campaign focused on raising money for food-related charities and organizations working to combat hunger. It typically involves community members creating and donating handcrafted ceramic—or other types of—bowls, which are then used to serve soup and bread during a fundraising dinner. Attendees contribute to the cause by purchasing a bowl and a meal, and at the end of the event, they get to keep the bowl as a reminder of their involvement and the issue of hunger.
In 2022, Carol Lloyd, then-director of the Churchill County Library, worked with the Fallon Chamber of Commerce to bring an Empty Bowls event to Fallon, Nevada. It was held during the winters of 2022 and 2023. Each library board member volunteered for the event.
Fallon's version of Empty Bowls included a unique local twist: anyone who arrived with either a cash donation for the library or a nonperishable food item for the Chamber’s Karma Box could choose a handmade bowl crafted by Churchill County High School art students. That bowl was then filled with donated soup, and guests were invited to enjoy their meal onsite. Everyone took their bowl home as a lasting reminder of the importance of addressing hunger in our community.
The event was paused when a new library director stepped in and the Chamber no longer had a facility large enough to host it.
In late 2024, Jeanne Evatt, art instructor at Western Nevada College (WNC), contacted the library association about reviving the event. The chair of the library board reached out to Lucy L. Carnahan, executive director of the Fallon Chamber. From the first meeting, it was clear the idea had traction.
This time around, WNC offered use of its facility, and the team decided not to wait for winter and soup season. Instead, Empty Bowls: Summer Edition was born—with an ice cream social.
To help prepare for the main event, a volunteer gathering was held on Friday, May 16, to paint and prep bowls.
The public is invited to join in on Sunday, June 1, 2025, at the WNC Fallon Campus. Attendees are asked to bring either a cash donation or nonperishable food items for the Fallon Cares Boxes (formerly known as the Karma Box). In return, they’ll get to choose a handmade bowl and head to the ice cream station for one or two scoops, topped however they like from a build-your-own toppings bar.
It’s a family-friendly event and a chance to visit with neighbors, enjoy sweet treats, and support a meaningful cause. See you Sunday, June 1, at the WNC Fallon Campus.
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