Hamline University’s Wesley Center for Spirituality, Service, and Social Justice will be serving up its first-ever “Empty Bowls” event on Thursday, April 8, and everyone is invited. This community meal and fundraiser aims to raise awareness about just how many people go without enough food—as far away as earthquake-ravaged Haiti and right here in Minnesota.

Kids from the Hamline Hancock Elementary School created and designed “empty bowls” of pottery that will be auctioned off as part of the fundraiser. Local restaurants are donating the bread and soup that will be served for the evening meal, and there is a lineup of great entertainment, featuring the Hamline University Orchestra, student band Staccato in Blue, and a drumming ensemble that will play music from around the world.

The Empty Bowls event will also give people an opportunity to hear from those who are working on hunger issues locally and globally.

“I hope Empty Bowls will become an annual event at Hamline,” Coordinator of the Office of Service Learning and Volunteerism Sharon Jaffe said. “There is plenty of food in the world; we just need compassionate action to distribute it equitably.”

All the proceeds from the event will be donated to UNICEF’s Haiti relief efforts and Keystone Community Services, which runs the Hamline Midway food shelf. Empty Bowls is open to the public. It’s on Thursday, April 8 from 5-7 p.m. at the Hamline United Methodist Church Community Room, located at 1514 Englewood in Saint Paul. The suggested donation is $15 with a minimum donation of $5 to attend.