PLACERVILLE, Calif. — A longstanding El Dorado County tradition returned with renewed purpose this year, as the 26th annual Placerville Empty Bowls Dinner raised $17,000 to support hunger relief efforts locally and abroad.
Held Feb. 15 at the Forni Building at the El Dorado County Fairgrounds, the event drew nearly 500 attendees and was organized by youth participants and adult mentors from Hands4Hope – Youth Making A Difference.
The proceeds funded grant requests from four organizations addressing food insecurity: Upper Room Dining Hall in Placerville, El Dorado High School’s Natural Resources Program Garden Senior Project, the Hands4Hope Emergency Food Pantry, and Earth’s Angels in Ghana. Organizers confirmed that all requested grant amounts were fully funded through the event.
The Empty Bowls Dinner, now in its 26th year, blends community gathering with advocacy. Guests received handmade ceramic bowls and were served their choice of soups with fresh bread, while enjoying live music from Coloma Celtic, artisan vendors and a raffle supported by local businesses. The raffle alone raised more than $2,000.
Planning began in November with an after-school committee of 18 middle and high school students, supported by 10 adult mentors. More than 100 additional volunteers contributed on the day of the event, bringing the total service time to nearly 1,000 hours.
“In El Dorado County, approximately 10 percent of residents experience food insecurity, meaning they do not know where their next meal will come from,”
said Sudeep Mazumder, a junior at Oak Ridge High School and marketing and education committee lead.
“The impact on children is even greater, with nearly 12 percent facing uncertain access to nutritious food.”
Student organizer Ashna Vaikunthan, a sophomore at Vista del Lago High School, emphasized the symbolic meaning behind the event. “Not only are the bowls filled with delicious soup, they also carry a message about the empty plates that exist both in our community and globally,” she said. “Empty Bowls is not only about recognizing the problem, but also how we choose to respond.”
Adult mentor Lynn Fedoryk said the collaboration between youth and community members remains the event’s defining strength.
“My favorite thing about the Empty Bowls dinner is that it allows the community to come together to make a meaningful difference,” Fedoryk said. “What I am most proud of is how the youth participants and their mentors work together because they care so much about their community.”
Organizers also credited sponsors, donors and volunteers for the event’s success, including local businesses, wineries and student potters who created the signature ceramic bowls.
The Placerville Empty Bowls Dinner was led for 23 years by the El Dorado Peace and Justice Community before transitioning in 2024 to a fully youth-led model under Hands4Hope. The organization serves students in grades 6 through 12 across El Dorado and Sacramento counties, focusing on leadership development and community service.
More information, including a full list of acknowledgments and a recap video, is available at the hands4hopeyouth.org website.
