​​WHAT IS THE EMPTY BOWLS PROJECT:

The Empty Bowls Project is an event held annually across the globe to raise funds for food charities and to teach the community that hunger exists among our neighbors in need. The Dripping Springs Empty Bowls Project benefits our food pantry, Helping Hands, a non profit that originated 38 years ago to serve the Dripping Springs area. At the Empty Bowls Project, families and friends come together to select from 1,200 beautiful ceramic bowls created by area artists and fill them with gourmet soups donated by 30 local restaurants. Talented musicians entertain patrons while they enjoy their delicious soups, breads and desserts, all for a $25 donation. The bowls are a keepsake from the event and a reminder of the less fortunate members in our community who have food insecurities.

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You are invited to be a part of the Empty Bowls Project by attending the event and/or being a sponsor. Together we can help reduce the increasing number of people in our community with food insecurities.

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KEY FACTS:
 

• $134,453 Helping Hands spent to buy food, provide financial assistance for housing, utilities, transportation, school supplies, and for the Elf Project in 2023. A 30% increase from 2022.
   

• 282,130 Pounds of food that Dripping Springs Helping Hands provided for families in 2023. A 34% increase from 2022.
   

• 75% The Empty Bowls Project raises a significant percentage of the Helping Hands operating budget each year.
   

• 18,083 The number of individuals served by Helping Hands in 2023. A 35% increase from 2022.

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HISTORY:
 

The Dripping Springs Empty Bowls Project has evolved over more than two decades to become the largest annual fundraiser for Helping Hands! The benefit accounts for 60% of Helping Hands annual budget.

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So how did the first fundraiser make it to tiny Dripping Springs in 1997? Bill and Bridget Hauser, owners of Sunset Canyon Pottery, were familiar with other national empty bowl projects and decided it was something they wanted to do for their community. Dripping Springs Helping Hands had already been operating for 11 years when the Hausers saw the need to support the food pantry. It was a natural fit for Bill and Bridget... they produced ceramic bowls and the bowls needed "filling."

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In the beginning, Bill and Bridget planned every detail, cooked all the soups, handcrafted hundreds of bowls and hosted the event at their studio gallery, Sunset Canyon Pottery. Even in the early years, they enlisted graphic artists to design attractive posters to lure attendees.

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As the event took hold, the Hausers recruited restaurant owners Lisa and Emmett Fox who today own ASTI's. Emmet and Lisa were successful in persuading other chefs in Austin to support the food pantry in Dripping Springs. Gradually, more local leaders came on board to help guide the project as it continued to grow. By the time the Hausers retired in 2016, they, with help from The Art Garage Austin, were making 1,000 bowls each year for the event! And that number represented the Empty Bowls Project's growing popularity in the community.

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Sunset Canyon Pottery was home to the event for 17 years. With parking and space issues, the event was moved to Mercer Street Dance Hall (then on Mercer Street) for the next two years. It was an ideal location that attracted more people and engaged downtown businesses. However, inclement weather became an increasingly big concern and pouring rains on the day of the event caused a reduction in attendance.

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The Dripping Springs Ranch Park was available and had all the elements needed: indoor seating, ample space, ample parking and even a real kitchen! Since 2017, the Park has been home to the event that is still so dearly loved by the community.

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Since the Hausers retired, more than 20 potters have stepped up to make bowls. With such a variety, patrons, some of whom have never missed an annual event, have an opportunity to expand their collections and learn about other ceramists in the greater area.

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In 2020, the 23rd Annal Empty Bowls Project took a turn in history when it was delivered to patrons through an engaging virtual format due to COVID-19. We were extremely fortunate that the virtual event was successful! We are happy to announce that, after two years, the 2022 Empty Bowls Project returned in-person and has gone strong since. Our guests enjoyed selecting their bowls and soups, sipping on beer and wine from our local breweries and wineries, listening to fabulous musicians, and spending time with friends and family.​