Empty Bowls in a Box - Help Us Help You...

I'm currently participating in a volunteer opportunity that represents the first chance I've had to use my college degree (BA in Studio Art from Bethel University) in a somewhat professional fashion.


The opportunity is to work with representatives from a local elementary school to coordinate an Empty Bowls fund raiser for PRISM, a local nonprofit in Golden Valley, MN.

As a part of that effort, we are creating an event-specific web site (still in development) that will be used for publicity and fundraising.

You might be thinking, "So what, Pete? Good for you and your little nonprofit - why should I give a rat's patootie?"

• What if YOU could put on an Empty Bowls fundraiser for a nonprofit helping folks in YOUR area?
• What if YOU are a nonprofit with limited resources that wants to put on an Empty Bowls fundraiser for yourselves?
• What if you're a local business looking for great ways to get yourself some publicity (why not give empty bowls a shot and support YOUR local nonprofit)?

Betcha you wouldn't have immediate access to a web site structure, a basic project plan including timeline and technical support (i.e., how do I actual make a ceramic bowl? how long does it take? how many volunteers do I need? how much will it cost to put on the event? what else do I need to be thinking about as I plan? etc.)

Well... I'd like to change that by documenting the process that we go through over the next few months and sharing it with you. If you're looking to learn more about Empty Bowls or to organize a similar event, drop a line and I'll be happy to share what we're doing.

The only reason I can even think about doing that is because I have a great employer by the name of Rhumbline Partners that has decided to "GiveAhead" instead of giving back - using my goofy set of skills to help meet the needs of local nonprofits, while attempting to cover the costs of my existance with discounted consulting services (the pro bono work we're doing doesn't really cover costs...).

Part of the spirit of the "GiveAhead" program is the desire to impact multiple organizations with reusable materials - this is the perfect opportunity to do just that. If your nonprofit has needs that align with the rest of what Rhumbline has to offer, then faboo! If not, atleast you can benefit from one small effort we've contributed to along our little journey....