Feeding the Hungry

When my son, W, was here on Friday, one of the places we visited was Good Earth Pottery in the Fairhaven district. Opened in 1969, it's kept going through good times and lean times, and features local artists -- more than 50 at the moment.

This month is their Bowls Benefit: every January, many of the artists give a portion of the sales of their bowls to the Bellingham Food Bank, and Good Earth Pottery matches that amount. The need is great -- visits to the food bank have increased by 50% since 2007, and 50% of the recipients are children or senior citizens. One in six Bellingham households uses the food bank on a regular basis, and more than 220,000 pounds of food are distributed each month.

My son and I favor the work of Isaac Howard, and bought several of his bowls to add to our slowly growing collections. I like what he says in his artist profile on that link: "We describe pottery in human terms: pots have lips to drink from, necks, shoulders, bellies and feet that carry. This association with the human body may be a pot's most potent way to relate to the user and enhance the experience of eating and drinking."

I love simple one-bowl meals such as soups and stews, so these new bowls will be used, as well as left out afterward where I can see them and enjoy their beauty. Knowing that my purchase helped feed individuals and families in need here is an extra blessing, and the bowls will be a beautiful reminder to donate to the food bank.