How it all began

In 1990, a high school art teacher in Michigan helped his students find a creative way to raise funds to support a food drive. What evolved was a class project to make ceramic bowls for a fundraising meal. Guests were served a simple meal of soup and bread, and were invited to keep their bowls as a reminder that someone else’s bowl is always empty and that communities of people can work together to fill them. Since then, Empty Bowls events have been held throughout the world, and millions of dollars have been raised to combat hunger.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Empty_bowls