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Empty Bowls, Full Plates: Mara Pernick on 40 Years of Rescuing with Waste Not
Episode 59 • 10 min listen • October 2026 • Food Rescue • Community Events • Nonprofit Partners
Hosted by Kay McDonald • Founder, Charity Charms
Every bowl at Empty Bowls starts with a potter's decision. An artist from the Arizona Clay Association sits down at the wheel, makes a bowl, and gives it away. No two are alike. For 36 years, those bowls have been sold to fund the daily work of Waste Not. The bowl is empty on purpose: it's a reminder that someone's is.
Mara Penick stepped in as Waste Not's Executive Director just as the organization heads into its 40th anniversary year. In this episode she tells Kay how the food rescue actually works. The trucks go out every morning and food that would otherwise hit a landfill ends up on tables across the Valley. She also shares what's new at this year's Empty Bowls on Saturday, October 17 at Mesa Arts Center.
"Food that would otherwise be thrown away, that is still safe to be eaten, and that we're able to safely redistribute to those in need in our community."
What you'll hear
- How Waste Not has rescued surplus food for Maricopa County for nearly 40 years
- Who the food donors are: supermarkets, resorts, caterers, restaurants, and distributors
- The five-driver logsitics team that matches rescued food to more than 65 partner agencies
- Why Empty Bowls has lasted 36 years, and how the Arizona Clay Association makes it possible
- What's planned at Mesa Arts Center from clay demonstrations to family day activities
- The new VIP morning that opens Waste Not's 40th anniversary year
A few moments worth pausing for
01:32
The number that puts it in perspective
Last year Waste Not rescued 2.95 million pounds of food, which Mara says works out to nearly 2.5 million meals. All of it was still safe to eat, and all of it was headed for the trash.
03:21
The people behind the trucks
Kay asks how anyone could match thousands of pounds of perishable food to the right agency at the right time. Mara's answer: five professional drivers on the road every day.
06:03
A bowl a year
Kay admits the bowls could become a collection, with one or two every year, maybe five. Mara says that's exactly what a lot of people do. "Every bowl is different, and the artists are so generous."
Episode Timestamps
| 00:35 What Waste Not does, and nearly 40 years of food rescue |
| 01:59 Food donors, safety, and the 65+ agencies Waste Not serves |
| 03:21 The logistics team: drivers, donors, and agency partners. |
| 03:58 36 years of Empty Bowls with the Arizona Clay Association. |
| 04:41 Mesa Arts Center, artist demos, and family day |
| 06:25 The VIP morning and Waste Not's 40th anniversay year. |
Empty Bowls: The Details
Saturday, October 17, 2026 • Mesa Arts Center
General Admission: free. Bowls are sold separately and every dollar goes to Waste Not's daily operations. Lunch will be available for purchase. Tickets are cheaper when you buy in advance on Waste Not's website, and you can still buy them at the door.
VIP Reception: 9:00 am - 10:00 am, $100 • To open its 40th anniversay year, Waste Not is adding a VIP Morning:
- First choice of bowls
- Breakfast and coffee
- Giveaways
- Guided tours of Mesa Arts Center
- A custom Waste Not bracelet from Charity Charms to take home
A Bracelet for VIPS
Charity Charms is proud to sponsor Empty Bowls this year. Every VIP guest will leave with a bracelet carrying Waste Not's logo. The bowl goes on a shelf; the bracelet goes on a wrist and keeps the morning going.
Planning an event of your own? A custom charm can work as a VIP gift, a sponsor thank-you, or a piece people buy at the table. Programs usually run 6-8 weeks from first call to delivery.
About the Guest
Mara Pernick
Executive Director, Waste Not
Mara Pernick became Executive Director of Waste Not in September 2025. She brings more than 25 years of leadership across the nonprofit, government, and private sectors. She has held roles at the Greater Phoenix Economic Council and the Arizona Chamber of Commerce, and she ran her own marketing, business development, and public affairs firm. Mara is a third-generation Arizonan who grew up in Phoenix. She holds a degree in communications and political science from the University of Arizona and an MBA in finance and marketing from George Mason University.
After You Listen
Get your empty bowls tickets
General admission is free, and bowls cost less when you buy ahead. VIP tickets include first pick of bowls and a Charity Charms bracelet.
Is your nonprofit serving families in maricopa county?
Waste Not is always looking for new agency partners to recieve rescued food. If your organization feeds people in need, reach out.
Planning a Signature event?
Give your guests a take-home they'll keep. See how a custom charm fits into a VIP package, a sponsor tier, or an event-day sale.
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