Empty Bowls in Burien raised over $8,000 on Jan. 25 to support the Highline Food Bank.

More than 650 community residents turned out to support this program for the hungry by giving donations for a simple meal of soup and bread. The soup was served in bowls made by local potters at the Moshier Community Art Center.

Empty Bowls is a nationwide project to help food banks create awareness of hunger at the local level. Moshier potters have hosted the event for the last three years.

The Highline Food Bank serves over 750 Burien-area residents every month.

"We ran out of everything, soup, bowls, cookies, but the community stayed and had a great time, continuing to give donations even when no bowls or soup were to be had," said Gina Kallman, cultural arts supervisor with Burien Parks, Recreation & Cultural Services.

"We would like to personally thank the community and our sponsors for their generous support and contributions. The success of this event would not have materialized without the dedicated support and effort of the Burien-Highline community. From the very beginning planning stages to the actual event, many volunteer hours were donated."

Moshier potters donated over 600 special bowls for the event, and the Normandy Park Youth Orchestra created the evening's dining atmosphere.

Also contributing to the evening were Moshier Community Art Center/Burien Parks Recreation and Cultural Services, Discover Burien, Sal's Deli, Angelo's Ristorante, The Mark Restaurant, Trader Joe's, Osteria da Primo, Highline Medical Center, Elliott Bay Brewery, Puget Sound Skills Center Class Act Restaurant, Burien Little Theatre, Burien Town Square, Aesthetic & General Dermatology of Seattle, and Caf/ Vita.