Milwaukee Empty Bowls is the LARGEST public Empty Bowls event in Wisconsin! Last year’s event raised $32,000 benefiting local hunger relief efforts and Alterra is proud to help support 2010 MEB, happening October 9th at MATC Oak Creek.  We’ll be one of many local businesses donating to the event and we’ll also be featuring Garam Masala Scented Pumpkin Bisque as the café soup special the week of October 4th.

What is Milwaukee Empty Bowls
and how did it begin?
In 1990, a high school art teacher in Michigan helped his students solve a problem. They were searching for 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 of hunger in the world.

By the following year, the originators had developed the concept into EMPTY BOWLS, a project to provide support for food banks, soup kitchens and other organizations that fight hunger. Since then, EMPTY BOWLS events have been held throughout the world, and millions of dollars have been raised to combat hunger.

Milwaukee Empty Bowls (MEB) started in 1999 with the same concept: to raise funds for food and hunger programs here in Milwaukee. Thanks to over 300 individuals, schools, restaurants and businesses, not to mention the estimated 1,200 people who attend the event, Milwaukee Empty Bowls has been a great success! The project has raised over $290,000 for local food programs in southeastern Wisconsin.

This year, Alterra is proud to contribute a Garam Masala scented Pumpkin Bisque prepared just for the event - and to help spread the word, this great seasonal soup will be our café soup special the entire week leading up to Empty Bowls.  Made with locally sourced pumpkins, carrots, Vidalia onions, fresh ginger, garlic, butter, cream, and garam masala spices, the soup will be garnished with a rich espresso crema and tamarind glazed pumpkin seeds.

Please check out more about the event here.