The fifth annual Empty Bowls, a community-wide effort to support the Auburn Food Bank, served up lunch at Grace Community Church on Friday.

Attendees had the opportunity to purchase a handmade soup bowl by students and professional potters for a minimum donation of $15. Customers had a choice of soup from among those donated by local restaurants and schools. Proceeds support the food bank.

Empty Bowls, an international, grassroots effort to fight hunger, was created by The Imagine Render Group. The premise is simple: Local potters, craftspeople, educators and others work with the community to create handcrafted bowls. Guests are invited to a simple meal of soup and bread. In exchange for a cash donation, guests are asked to keep a bowl as a reminder of the empty bowls in the world.