The mission of Empty Bowls is to hold an annual community event featuring local artisans and food purveyors that raises money and awareness to support nonprofit organizations that directly address hunger in our community. This annual McKinney event showcases handcrafted bowls made and decorated by professional and amateur artists. There also are larger bowls that are part of the silent auction and raffle. Each bowl has a card inside that reads: “This bowl is a reminder to pray for those in the world with empty bowls due to hunger.”
Guests enjoy a sampling of gourmet soups and light bites prepared by chefs from a variety of local food purveyors and restaurants. Each guest takes home an artisan bowl as a reminder of those who are hungry in the local community.
Proceeds of the event go to Community Lifeline Center to help provide food for their Community Lifeline Market and mobile food distributions, to Community Garden Kitchen to serve hot meals to anyone in need with no questions asked, and to The Little Free Pantry of McKinney, where people can find food anonymously as they need.
The 2025 event will take place April 25 from 6-8 p.m. in Downtown McKinney.
- The event proceeds go to curbing hunger. In 2024, Empty Bowls McKinney raised and donated $85,000 to fight hunger in the area.
- 1 In 4 MISD students are food insecure, and 45% of food stamp recipients are children.
- 140,000 Collin County residents are food insecure.