Stratford Road Elementary School recently hosted its third annual Empty Bowls Festival. The Empty Bowls Project is a grassroots effort to help feed the hungry. Stratford Road teachers, administrators and staff began planning the event last fall.
Students made homemade clay bowls with the help of artist-in-residence Cliff Mendelson at the school’s Day in Clay. With the direction of their art teacher, Debbie Mittleman, each fourth grader’s clay bowl was painted and fired by another fourth grader. The bowls emphasize the true communal spirit of Empty Bowls, and were used to serve food at the festival.
Students, staff members and parents all participated in this school-wide event, which helps raise awareness of hunger on Long Island and collects donations for Island Harvest—the largest hunger relief organization on Long Island. Last year’s event brought in more than 2,200 pounds of food and $1,000 in cash donations.
