Watered Gardens to present funds from the 13th Annual Empty Bowls event

On Tuesday, January 20th, Watered Gardens Ministries will present checks to organizations who are the beneficiaries of the 13th Annual Empty Bowls event.

The presentation will take place at 10 a.m. the Joplin Greenhouse & Coffee Shop at 2820 E. 32nd Street in Joplin.

Reminiscent of the “soup lines” from the mid 1930’s, Empty Bowls is a grass roots fundraiser brought
to people in cities and towns around the world by artists and crafts people to care for and feed the
hungry in their communities.

Patrons purchase a handcrafted pottery bowl, enjoy a serving of soup, and then have an empty bowl to take home to remind them that somewhere, someone is hungry.

The 2025 Empty Bowls was held at Suzanne’s Natural Foods in Joplin, MO, on Thursday, November
13 th and was very successful! This was the 7th year of Watered Gardens Ministries hosting this event
and the community wholeheartedly embraced the effort to fight hunger.

Major sponsors included: Southwest Missouri Bank, Mercy of Joplin, Seward’s Insulation, Binky Guy, Missouri Eye Institute, Jordan CPA Services, Satterlee Plumbing & Heating, Suzanne’s Natural Foods, TownePlace Suites and Joplin Greenhouse & Coffee Shop.

Local artists who’ve made bowls: Mark Strayer of North Star Pottery, Jeff Jones, Cathleen Denise
and studio artists of The Clay Cup, Brent Skinner, Melody Knowles, Ashley Brown and studio artists
of Skinner Pottery, Suzi Huntington of Sumaro House Design, Debbie Miller and Judie Riggen of
Walnut Springs Pottery, Chris Kinney of Claybeard Studio, Josh Novak of Crowder College, Sandy
Smith of Ft. Scott, KS, Daria Claiborne, Angel Brame of Dragonflies and Mud Pottery, Trent & Kate
Freeman and artist friends of The Artificer’s in Ft. Scott, KS , Alan Kirby of Hippy Clay in Pittsburg,
KS, Kristi Tucker of Pottery by KT in Joplin, MO, Stephanie Roy of Roy Pottery in Joplin, MO, Patt
Olsen Studio of Nixa, MO, Burt Bucher of Labette County Community College, and Chad Keutzer of
Freedom Frontier Enterprises.

There were over 10 restaurants and chefs who donated soup for our patrons to enjoy on event day!

The 2025 Empty Bowls supports organizations that feed people and are 100% privately
funded: We Care of the Four States, Watered Gardens and Hope Kitchen in Neosho, MO.

The net proceeds will be distributed equally among these organizations.

Watered Gardens Ministries serves the local Church in its mission to help the poor. We envision the
local Church boldly engaged with the poor and homeless relationally responsibly and
compassionately for the transformation of life.

Watered Gardens is a privately funded ministry in

operation since June of 2000.