Hundreds of handmade ceramic bowls will be displayed in Elder Gallery beginning this week in preparation for the Bowls for Backpacks Empty Bowls event.

The handcrafted bowls — made by elementary, middle, high school and college students, trauma patients, community organizations and clubs, and local artists — will be used at the fundraiser soup lunch on Saturday, February 27.

From February 2-24, the bowls will be displayed at Elder Gallery. Hours are Tuesday-Friday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Saturday and Sunday, 1 to 4 p.m.

Tickets are now available for the Bowls for Backpacks fundraiser lunch, which will be held from noon to 3 p.m. at the student center. Tickets are $15, which includes soup, bread, drink and a handmade ceramic bowl of choice. Tickets can be purchased by calling Lauren Williams at x7556 or email emptybowls@nebrwesleyan.edu. Tickets are also available at Heartland Pantry, located at 48th Street and Leighton Ave. More than 500 ceramic bowls have been made for the event.

All proceeds for the event benefit the Food Bank of Lincoln’s BackPack Program, which sends backpacks filled with food home with area elementary school students on Fridays to ensure they don’t go hungry over the weekend.

Last year NWU served over 400 people at the event and raised $7,000 for the Food Bank of Lincoln.