GSW’s 13th annual Empty Bowls event to help fight local hunger on Nov. 7

AMERICUS, Ga. (Oct. 23, 2026) — Faculty and students in the Department of Visual Arts at Georgia Southwestern State University (GSW) are joining forces with Harvest of Hope Food Pantry and local restaurants for the 13th annual Empty Bowls event on Saturday, Nov. 7, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. The annual fundraiser brings together art, food and community generosity to help fight hunger in the Americus area.

The event will take place at Harvest of Hope Food Pantry, located at 606 McGarrah St. in Americus, Ga. and is organized by GSW's ceramics program and Artists United, the department's student organization.

More than 200 handcrafted ceramic bowls will be available for $25 each. Each purchase includes a soup voucher, while supplies last, redeemable at one of three participating local restaurants: Pat's Place, Little Brothers Bistro & Cafe, and Sweet Georgia.

Each one-of-a-kind bowl represents hours of creativity and craftsmanship, from shaping the clay on a pottery wheel to drying, bisque firing, glazing and a final firing at 2,350 degrees. Additional pottery and ceramic sculptures created by GSW students, faculty, alumni and visiting artists will also be available for purchase.

The event's impact extends well beyond the bowls themselves. The majority of proceeds will benefit Harvest of Hope Food Pantry, helping provide food assistance to hundreds of local households, while the remaining funds will support GSW visual arts students.

Founded in 2013 under the guidance of Sonny and Ginger Pinckard, Harvest of Hope has been led by Chris and Rhonda Slocumb since 2023. The organization distributed 7,870 boxes of food to community members in 2025 and currently provides more than 600 boxes each month. So far in 2026, the pantry has distributed approximately 5,000 boxes.

"Empty Bowls provides financial support to continue the mission of feeding the hungry," said Rhonda Slocumb, Ph.D., also an assistant professor in GSW's School of Nursing. "This means 600+ households in need of food are reached through Harvest of Hope every month. This food is vital to the wellbeing of so many in our community and does so much to fight against food insecurity in our region."

Noah Miller, a senior fine arts major concentrating in ceramics and president of Artists United expressed, "Empty Bowls is a community event through and through. From the many hands making the bowls to the many faces taking them home, we all get to come together to help fill a shared table with beautiful objects and with food from Harvest of Hope for those who need it. I can't think of a better way to spend my time."

Empty Bowls also reflects GSW's new strategic plan, The Hurricane Promise, particularly its focus on People and Purpose, by connecting hands-on learning with community engagement and service.

"Empty Bowls is more than creating pottery," said Keaton Wynn, professor of visual arts at GSW. “It gives our students an opportunity to use their creativity and skills to help make a difference. They get to experience firsthand how their work can have an impact beyond the classroom, while also learning the value of giving back to the community."

This year's bowls were created by GSW students Noah Miller, Ethan Sellers, Jayda Hughes, Dulce Tet Sarmiento, Ethan Taylor, Dakota Nash, Brandon Mann, Kristen Simpson, Jenny Santamaria and Jenna Morgan; post-baccalaureate students Maya Johnson and Natalie Harrison; alumni Amber Moore and Lexi Glass; Professor Emeritus Ralph Harvey; and Professor Keaton Wynn.

The community is invited to attend, select a handcrafted bowl and support an effort that brings local artists, restaurants and neighbors together to help address food insecurity in Southwest Georgia.