Empty Bowls Program
Create Escape Studio is excited to announce that we have been invited to partner with Camella’s Cupboard Food Pantry of New Milford for their Empty Bowls Fundraiser.
Empty Bowls began in 1990 as an art class project in a Michigan high school to raise funds for a food drive. Students made ceramic bowls, served a meal of soup and bread, and invited guests to keep the bowl as a reminder of hunger in the world.
By the following year, the Empty Bowls Project had grown to a 501(c)3 organization designed to promote the concept.
Since its inception, this simple project has evolved into a far-reaching program providing support for food banks, soup kitchens, and other organizations that fight hunger. Empty Bowls events have been held throughout the world, raising millions of dollars for use in combating hunger.

How does the Empty Bowls Program work?
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Come into Create Escape Studio and paint a ceramic bowl
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The finished and fired bowls will be on display at a fundraising dinner on March 11th to Benefit Camella’s Cupboard Food Pantry. A simple meal of soup and bread will be served.
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At the dinner, guests will choose a bowl to keep as a reminder that there are always Empty Bowls in the world.
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Tickets to the dinner will be purchased in advance, with the fee covering the guest’s meal and a selected bowl.
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All proceeds from the March 11th dinner will go to Benefit Camella’s Cupboard of New Milford, CT to assist their mission to provide year-round hunger relief to children, seniors, and others in need in the Greater New Milford CT community.
How can you participate?
Come into Create Escape Studio and help us paint one of the 300+ ceramic bowls we have set aside for the Empty Bowls project.
The finished bowls are FREE to Paint…but finished bowls become the property of Camella’s Cupboard, to be included as part of their Empty Bowls Fundraising Dinner on March 11th.
You can come in and paint bowls during our weekend Open Studio hours. Saturdays & Sundays from noon – 4 pm. Or you can make a reservation by clicking the link below.
Don’t see a time slot that works for you?
Just shoot over an email and we will do our best to accommodate your group.
If you have a large group that would like to come in, please call us to set up a designated time.
Please note: Children must be accompanied by an adult.
Creative Fun For Everyone!
Upcoming Events for Bowl Painting...
We will also be hosting some fun, fee-based events where you and your friends and family can gather to come in and paint bowls!
- Wed, Feb 19New Milford
- Thu, Feb 20New Milford
- Sat, Feb 22Create Escape Studio
- Sun, Feb 23Create Escape Studio
- Sat, Mar 01Create Escape Studio
- Sun, Mar 02New Milford
- Multiple DatesSun, Mar 02Create Escape Studio
- Fri, Mar 07New Milford
- Sat, Mar 08Create Escape Studio
- Sun, Mar 09Create Escape Studio
- Fri, Mar 21New Milford
- Sun, Mar 23New Milford
- Thu, May 15Create Escape Studio
- Mon, Feb 17Create Escape Studio
- Sun, Feb 16Create Escape Studio
- Sat, Feb 15New Milford
- Thu, Feb 13Housatonic River Brewing!
- Sun, Feb 09Create Escape Studio
About the March 11th Dinner
Empty Bowls is an event designed to raise awareness & funds for those in our community who are experiencing food insecurity. Soups prepared by local restaurants - including Jo Jo's Deli, Lucia Ristorante, and The Po Cafe - will be the main course, along with bread and dessert! Each ticket allows our guests to have the opportunity to select a hand painted artisan bowl, that serves as a reminder of those experiencing food insecurity in our community.
All proceeds benefit Camella’s Cupboard Food Pantry for Children. Camella’s Cupboard provides food to 200 New Milford families and their children each week.
Tickets range from $35.00 - $50.00
Tickets can be purchased for eat-in or take-out. There are a limited number of tickets for early entry to get the best selection of bowls. Tickets can be purchased for our early seating – 4:00 – 5:30 pm, or our later seating – 5:30 – 7 pm.
We will also host a silent auction and games!
Empty Bowls will be held on Saturday, March 11th at the VFW Hall, 11 Avery Road, New Milford.
Photos will be taken at the event. By purchasing a ticket, you agree to the use of your image or voice recording in any form by Camella’s Cupboard Food Pantry for Children as part of their communication programs, including release to the media.