The annual Oxford Empty Bowls luncheon will take place Nov. 9 at the Oxford Community Arts Center.

The event is hosted every second Saturday in November to raise money for worldwide hunger relief. The first Oxford Empty Bowls event was hosted in 2002 at the Oxford United Methodist Church. 

Guests pay a $15 entrance fee, while those 10 and under eat for free. Attendees are given lunch of homemade soup, bread, a beverage and dessert, all donated by community members and businesses.

Attendees also are able to choose between hundreds of handmade or hand-decorated bowls of their choice. These bowls serve as a reminder of the fun they had at the event as well as the fact that there are always empty bowls in the world.

Guests are encouraged to make donations before or during the event. Last year’s Empty Bowls luncheon raised $16,282 for their primary beneficiary, Talawanda Oxford Pantry & Social Services (TOPSS). As of December 2023, Oxford Empty Bowls has raised $155,857. 

For those interested in volunteering at the luncheon, visit the sign up list. If you would like to donate food for the luncheon guests, see here.

The event will run from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. For more information visit the Oxford Empty Bowls website. 

–Kaitlin McDowell