Pita Jungle selling Empty Bowls through Dec. 15 to help feed Valley’s hungry

Pita Jungle has kicked off its third annual Empty Bowls campaign, a two-week fundraiser for Waste Not, a local nonprofit that has been feeding the hungry in the Valley for more than 25 years.

Through Dec. 15, you can buy handcrafted clay bowls – which come with your choice of soup or hummus (dine-in or carryout) – for $15 apiece at any of the Mediterranean eatery’s 15 Valley locations.

The bowls are created by Arizona Clay Association artists and their friends in the community, and 100 percent of the proceeds go to Waste Not. Every dollar raised feeds six people.

‘‘The beauty of Empty Bowls lies in being able to support local artisans and support our fellow neighbors in need at the same time,” says Bassel Osmani, who co-founded Pita Jungle while attending ASU.

Pita Jungle’s campaign is just one of several Empty Bowls events held in the Valley at various times of the year. The idea began in Michigan in the early 1990s and has grown into an international movement.