Local potters in Wellington, New Zealand have crafted 850 handmade bowls for an "Empty Bowls" fundraising event to help the homeless and hungry. In August, the bowls will be sold filled with soup at various cafes and stores in the region, with all proceeds going to Downtown Community Ministry, a charity that assists the homeless. The potters were inspired by the international "Empty Bowls" grassroots movement aimed at fighting hunger. Each of the 850 bowls represents one person helped by the ministry each year. The organizer hopes this will become an annual project to support some of the city's most vulnerable people.

1. Wellington Potters create Empty Bowls for
homeless
SHANNON DOYLE
"A lot of people wantto help but they don't know how." Rebecca Flowerdayhas organised an EmptyBowls projectto help
Wellington's mostimpoverished and needy.
Compassion for the empty tummies ofWellington's mostimpoverished and needyhas prompted local potters to handcraft850
bowls for a fundraising effort.
In August, Moore Wilson stores and cafes in the Wellington region will be selling soup in the handcrafted bowls,with all pro ceeds
going to DCM, formerly known as the Downtown CommunityMinistry, a charity that helps the homeless and hungry.
Organiser ofthe project and novice potter Rebecca Flowerday says the conceptis very simple.
"For $20 people will geta beautiful bowl. It's a token to always remind them they are lucky to be able to buy a nice warm bowl of
soup."
She says 850 artisan bowls was a tall order, but the figure reflects the number ofpeople the ministryhelps each year.
"Each one of the 850 bowls represents a person who has had a bit of a hard life and needs a helping hand."
Wellington Potters'Association believes itis the firstin New Zealand to take on the Empty Bowls project,an international
grassroots projectaimed atfighting hunger.
Since April, its members have made 745 bowls ofall shapes and designs,with help from potters from Otaki and and Porirua.
The target received a huge boostfollowing the recent"throw-a-thon", in which potters from around Wellington competed to see who
was the fastestpotter of them all.
In 90 minutes,the winning potter threw 35 out of the overall 176 bowls thrown on the day.
The projecthas been embraced by potters and cafes, and Flowerday says she was surprised ithad never been done in New
Zealand.
"A lot of people wantto help but they don't know how, so this is some waythat everyone can do their little bit to help a very worthy
cause."
She has hopes this will become an annual projectto help some ofthe mostvulnerable people in the city.
From August the bowls will be available from:

2.  Moore Wilson's,CBD
 Moore Wilson's,Porirua
 Kapai restaurants throughoutWellington
 Haya Cafe, Aro Valley
 Little Peckish Cafe,CBD
 Karaka Cafe, CBD
 Gypsy Cafe, Strathmore
- Stuff