The following is a letter to the UUSC explaining our RE Empty Bowls project and our Hunger Banquet. The money raised was donated to them. The project was very successful as both a fundraiser and an awareness raiser. Plus, the kids (and most of the youth) loved it. One added benefit is that it brought in volunteers who might not have gotten involved in RE this year: the potters in our congregation. Between the 12-15 of them, they purchased the clay, helped the children make the bowls, fired the bowls, purchased the glaze, helped the kids glaze their bowls and then fired them again. I couldn't have done it without them. Oh, and then they felt so much a part of the project, they all either purchased bowls and/or came to the Hunger Banquet.

I am pleased to enclose a check for $900 made out to the UUSC. This year in our Religious Education Program, our children and youth participated in a two-part project to raise money and awareness for the hungry.

In late November, all of our children, from grades kindergarten through high school, made ceramic bowls as part of the "Hunger Bowls" project. We began that morning with a discussion in our chapels about hunger and how we can make a difference in a hungry person's life. The bowls were fired in December and returned for glazing which the kids did in January. The children (and many of the youth) LOVED this project and have consistently listed it as one of their favorite things we did this year.

The bowls were sold after church for 5 weeks for a minimum donation of $7 each. At the same time, tickets for our April "Hunger Banquet" were also sold. Entry to the banquet was either a bowl or a ticket. The banquet was organized by the Senior High youth and attended by about 80 people of all ages. As people entered, they were randomly assigned a place at a high-income, medium income or low-income dinner. The high-income table was set with nice china. Waiters served the 7 diners a 3-course meal, while a youth trio performed classical music. Armed guards protected the diners from the "riff raff" in the lower classes. The medium income table was bare and included a large bowl of vegetable soup, bread and a small salad for its 15 diners. The largest group was low-income. These people sat on the floor on blankets and helped themselves to a big bowl of rice (men and boys first), which they ate with their hands. There was role playing, discussions on hunger and how it felt to be part of the various groups, and no small amount of food raiding and begging! A very successful evening in terms of money and awareness raising. And the youth did a great job.

Please accept our check with our hope that it will go toward projects that provide those in need with the know-how and materials to end their cycle of hunger.