Houston Food Bank Benefit

Empty bowls means full stomachs: Craft gathering raises funds to feed 200,000

Table after table lined the galleries of the Houston Center for ContemporaryCraft, each spread with a bowls forged from wood, ceramic, glass, mixed-mediaand other materials.
Chaired by Tom Perry, this event's record-setting $66,000 in monies raised forthe Houston Food Bank translates to 200,000 meals for locals.

Whatever the reason was — whether it was the feeling of helping others or scoring a bowl handmade by a troupe of talented local artists and young children — quite the long line was forming outside of the Houston Center for Contemporary Craft for entry into the Eighth Annual Empty Bowls Houston fundraiser.

When the doors opened there was nothing stopping the bowl-a-thon frenzy. More than 900 guests picked their personal favorite from thousands of bowls to take home as reminder of those who often forgo sustenance due to financial hardship. Those beautiful empty bowls bear an ugly truth beyond what their attractive exteriors reveal.

Table after table lined the galleries of the craft center, each spread with a rainbow of vibrant bowls forged from wood, ceramic, glass, mixed-media and a long list of other materials. A banner assembled by students at Small Steps Nurturing Center, many of whom receive aid from the Houston Food Bank, gave thanks to the smiths and volunteers who made this yearly gathering happen.

Chaired by Tom Perry, this event's record-setting $66,000 in monies raised for the Houston Food Bank translates to 200,000 meals.

In the first exhibit hall were the contributions of Steve Campbell, Angel Oloshove, Renee LeBlanc, Clark Kellogg, Karen Fiscus and Mak Taing, a group who challenged themselves to donate 100 or more bowls to the cause.

At $25 a pop for a one-of-a-kind handmade artisan bowl and lunch, it is a steal. Donors who had more green to give opted to upgrade for one of the more intricate creations.

Livening the outdoor ambiance were the tunes of Tyagaraja, The Literary Greats and Kevin Kendrick, bagpiper Matthew Drecun with guitarist Zach Goodrick, craft demonstrations, a henna artist and a handful whimsical performers. Patrons savored a simple midday repast of soup and bread from Whole Foods Market and dessert courtesy of Blue Bell Ice Cream.

Chaired by Tom Perry, this event's record-setting $66,000 in monies raised for the Houston Food Bank translates to 200,000 meals for locals.

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Thanks, Queen Bey

Pop icon Beyoncé donates $100,000 to University of Houston Law School

Photo by Erza Shaw Getty Images

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Pop megastar Beyoncé Knowles-Carter has donated $100,000 to the University of Houston Law Center Criminal Justice Clinic through her BeyGOOD Foundation. The gift will allow the clinic to hire fill-time faculty to head it, benefiting the students who study there.

“I am delighted that the BeyGOOD Foundation has made this very generous gift to the UH Law Center,” said Leonard Baynes, dean of the UH Law Center. “Not only will this funding help establish a full-time criminal justice clinic that provides pro bono legal services in our community, but it will also supercharge our already excellent criminal law and justice programming.”

The clinic is one of nine at UHLC. It helps students learn to navigate the criminal justice system, especially on behalf of clients that are underserved by skilled attorneys. People of color are affected disproportionately by a lack of good, ethical representation.

Beyoncé, the most decorated artist in Grammy history and easily the biggest musical star native to Houston, has a long history of advocating for criminal justice reform. She was a staunch supporter of the police reform following the deaths of Alton Sterling and Philando Castile, asking law enforcement to “stop killing us” in a web post. In 2020, she penned an open letter to the Kentucky attorney general asking for justice in the death of Breonna Taylor.

Through her BeyGOOD Foundation, established in 2013, Beyoncé has focused mostly on expanding the prospects of Black-owned business and offering education opportunities to students. Forwarding the cause of legal representation in Texas while also helping out marginalized communities compliments her other philanthropic work.

“At UH Law, we envision a legal profession where ‘everyone has the opportunity to prosper,’ as BeyGOOD envisions, and we will achieve this vision by providing access to strong and effective legal representation in criminal proceedings,” Baynes said. “And together, through this gift, the BeyGOOD Foundation and UHLC will shepherd the next generation of criminal justice attorneys in the city of Houston, the state of Texas and the nation.”