Marywood’s Art Honor’s Society, Zeta Omicron, is planning the campus’s first Empty Bowl Project this spring.

The Empty Bowl Project is an international effort to stop world hunger created by the non-profit organization The Imagine Render Group. The idea behind the project is for organizations to craft bowls to be sold to community members with soup served in them.

The proceeds will be donated to a hunger-fighting organization chosen by the organization. Community members leave the event with an empty bowl, a symbol that there are still others in need.

Sophomore ceramics and arts administration student, Emma Pilon brought the Empty Bowl idea to Marywood’s Zeta Omicron earlier this year.

“I used to work with my ceramics teacher in high school pretty closely, and [The Empty Bowl Project] was one project she would always do,” said Pilon.

Pilon is now a major part of the Empty Bowl planning committee along with Zeta Omicron President Amanda Hinkle, and Vice President Alyssa Wood.

In late March, Zeta Omicron will host the Bowl-A-Thon where nearly 40 Zeta Omicron members will create the bowls for the project.

Following the creation of the bowls, Zeta Omicron has elected to showcase the bowls prior to purchase. This will give community members the opportunity to choose the bowl they would like to be served in.

“We have a really great art program here at Marywood, so we wanted to highlight that as much as possible,” said Amanda Hinkle, senior arts administration and art history major.

Net Impact, Marywood’s business group on campus, is teaming up with Zeta Omicron to help with marketing and promotional aspects of the event. With the help of Net Impact, Zeta Omicron will showcase the bowls at the Entrepreneurial Launch Pad during May’s First Friday event in Downtown Scranton.

“[The Entrepreneurial Launch Pad] is right on Linden Street of the Square [in Scranton], so that’s a prime location. I’m really excited,” said Pilon.

Proceeds from the night’s event will be donated to Meals on Wheels.

According to Hinkle, the Empty Bowl Project is Zeta Omicron’s big event for this year. Last year they hosted a gallery show with all the Zeta members.

“It’s a big undertaking but I think it will be really successful,” said Pilon.

More information on the Empty Bowl Project will be available starting in March.