Empty Bowls 2026

• Posted on: March 9, 2026

CORA’s 14th annual Empty Bowls fundraiser was held on February 28h, and are so excited to share that the event raised more than $98,000! That makes this the biggest fundraising year for Empty Bowls yet!

Empty Bowls invites guests to enjoy a delicious dinner featuring soup tastings from many local restaurants and go home with a beautiful piece of handmade local pottery as a reminder of the empty bowls they help fill for neighbors in need.

During the event, guests also have an opportunity to “Fund a Need.” This year, our guest stepped up in a major way. We asked for help covering $25,000 towards the $68,000 expense of a much needed walk-in refrigeration unit for our Siler City pantry. We were amazed by the crowd’s generosity when we actually raised enough to cover the whole cost! This upgrade will allow us to store and share more fresh, healthy food.

Thank you to everyone who participated in Empty Bowls 2026 for making this incredible impact possible: our sponsors, potters, restaurants, bakers, volunteers, Popcorn Blue Band, photographer Bobby Izquierdo, and of course the guests who joined us for this special event and supported CORA’s work so generously.

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Our Mission

Chatham Outreach Alliance (CORA) provides food to individuals and families within our community who are in need during difficult personal economic periods. Together we are building a community without hunger!

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