A handmade ceramic bowl filled with hearty, flavorful soup is more than just a meal; it’s a donation that brings a spoonful of hope to someone in need.

On Wednesday, the Ceramics Guild of Florida Atlantic University, a student-run art organization, hosted their annual Empty Bowls fundraiser to help fight hunger in South Florida. In the Social Science Building Rotunda at the Boca Raton campus, Guild members offered ceramic bowls crafted in the ceramics department, paired with soup donated by local restaurants in exchange for a minimum donation of $10. The amount increased depending on the size of the bowls, reaching up to $50. After three hours of fundraising, a total of 341 bowls were exchanged. 

The worldwide fundraiser, Empty Bowls, is primarily driven by artists and creatives to raise money for food-related charities in their communities. Ceramics Professor Michaela DiCosola stated this wave of fundraising at FAU began in the early 1990s, starting humbly with a small table in the Breezeway. Over the years, it has gradually grown into the event it is today.

DiCosola, popularly known as “Professor Angel,” mentioned that the proceeds from this nonprofit fundraiser will benefit two local charities: The Caring Kitchen of Delray and the Tri-County Animal Rescue, with a 50/50 split. As the hands-on advisor for the Ceramics Guild, DiCosola expressed how the Empty Bowls will always hold a special place in her heart. This year’s event will be her last as she is retiring this April after 30 years at the university, 

She also gave praise to Lynn Berman, who has taken DiCosola’s ceramics classes and is also helping with the event one last time. Berman has a long history with the fundraiser by working alongside local vendors to secure food donations. 

This year, Berman worked to gather six donors, offering a full selection of soups, from Chicken Noodle to Italian Wedding. The soup donors include Rocco’s Tacos & Tequila Bar, Boca Raton Regional Hospital, Louie Bossi’s Ristorante, Bar & Pizzeria and Farmer’s Table. Even Whole Foods Market provided baguettes to soak up the warm soup.

The dish doesn’t have to be soup; it can be salad or even ice cream. DiCosola says it’s more about the purpose it serves, and goes beyond just raising funds.

From the students who craft the bowls to those who receive them, each bowl serves as a reminder. When people open their cabinets to see the empty bowl, they are reminded of the purpose of a meal and the cause — some may not have food in their bowl.

“You generally, for Empty Bowls, serve something that would be in a bowl, and it should be that you’re experiencing a simple, not really large meal,” she said. “So that you might again feel a little hungry to share in what others might be feeling on a daily basis. So It’s an awareness.”

Lauren Collier, a studio arts major and member of the Ceramics Guild at FAU, shares the simple process of creating ceramics. It begins by mixing clay with water and using a wheel to shape the mold. The artwork is then fired in a kiln at high temperatures to harden the clay. Then, added with decorative glazes before the final firing.

The Empty Bowls fundraiser lasts only one day for several hours. But the event, which usually takes place in February, requires a full year of preparation. Leading up to the date, Collier says the guild hosted “Make-A-Thon” events for members and students in ceramics classes to start the creative process of making the event’s bowls. 

She said the event can get hectic, with constant back-and-forth trips on a golf cart to replenish soup from Room 112, the Ceramics Studio in the Dorothy F. Schmidt Visual Arts Center. But what truly fuels her is the impact of the event itself, as it combines her passion for ceramics with the opportunity to give back to the local community.

“I personally love being involved in this event because art-making can be such a personal pursuit. A lot of the time, it feels like it’s all about me,” she said. “So if I can use my talent or my skill in any way to help other people, that’s the greatest thing in the whole world to me.”

As a junior, Collier has participated in the Empty Bowls fundraiser every year since joining the guild, though her roots of involvement go back to high school, where she first experienced the same fundraiser. She noted that this year’s event had the biggest turnout of the three years she has participated.

Collier celebrated Rocco’s Tacos chicken tortilla soup as the most popular selection and her favorite at the fundraiser. On the other side Jennifer Natalus, an FAU accounting junior, savored the Loaded Potato soup from Duffy’s Sports Grill.

After purchasing a ceramic bowl for $10, Natalus made another donation to receive a second bowl with soup, continuing to support the initiative to stop hunger. She even went on to get a third bowl, an exclusive $15 bowl that was larger in size. This time, she didn’t fill it with soup but instead simply used it as a way to contribute more.

Her family, who originally hails from Haiti, inspired her to take action and donate to this cause. Natalus says it struck a chord with her as she reflected on her roots in Haiti, a country in the Caribbean Sea with significant hunger problems.

“I’ve grown up in a family where it’s whatever you can do, just do something,” she said. “So since I saw that this is also a helping cause, I was like, ‘It’s $10,’ I can probably have $10 the next day or something, but someone doesn’t have food.”

Michael Cook is the Managing Editor for the University Press. For information regarding this or other stories, email michael17cook@gmail.com.