Empty Bowls for Haiti returns, offering a delicious way to make a difference

Guests at Empty Bowls for Haiti enjoyed a variety of delicious soups generously donated by local restaurants including Schmidtsville in Wellesley; Kennedy’s in St. Agatha; Old Country Kitchen, Scran & Dram and Adam Brenner in New Hamburg; EJ’s in Baden; Pacini Restaurant in Toronto; Homestyle Diner, Tamale Girl, Village Caterer and Pasha BBQ in Kitchener; and Quehl’s in Tavistock. Organizer Rosemary Arthurs expressed her gratitude for the restaurants’ generosity and encouraged community members to show their support by visiting these establishments and enjoying a meal. Contributed photo

By Diane Danen

The community came together on Saturday, Oct. 18, for Empty Bowls for Haiti at Steinmann Mennonite Church in Baden.

Guests enjoyed a warm bowl of soup, live music and great company, all while helping to support important projects in Haiti. For $35, guests chose a beautiful handcrafted pottery bowl made at Dundee Pottery Studio, then filled it with a variety of delicious soups donated by local restaurants. Each bowl was made and donated by friends and students from Dundee Pottery.

The Empty Bowls for Haiti fundraiser began in 2006 when Rosemary Arthurs teamed up with Lois and Lee Steckley to raise funds for communities in Haiti. Their connection to the country was personal. At the time, their children were living and working in Port-au-Prince, helping to strengthen local food systems and support community development. Haiti’s ongoing challenges with food security are linked to many factors, including widespread deforestation.

After taking a short break last year, Empty Bowls for Haiti returned, much to the delight of the community.

“Many people told us how happy they were to see Empty Bowls back,” Arthurs said.

This year’s event was well-attended with more than 190 guests at the first sitting and around 100 at the second. The event raised around $9,000. Arthurs expressed her gratitude to everyone who attended, volunteered and donated soups.

All proceeds from Empty Bowls for Haiti go to the Mennonite Central Committee (MCC) to support reforestation and climate resilience projects in Haiti. To better understand the challenges faced by the people of Haiti, Rosemary recommends the book The Uses of Haiti by Paul Farmer.

Rosemary and her team are already looking ahead to next year’s event, which is planned for Saturday, Oct. 17, 2026.

Special thanks to the Dundee Pottery friends and students who created and donated the bowls: Alley Santinos, Jeanette Headley, Laura Kelly, Lois Steckley, Melissa Miller, Peggy Schneider, Seaneen Taggart and Violet Shadd. For more information, visit www.dundeepottery.ca or stop by the studio at 181 Front St. #3, New Dundee.