Tyler Stauffer photo: Juniors Caitlin Ross and Eve Klajbor enjoyed a bowl of soup and bread at the Empty Bowls event.

Students and members of the Mercyhurst College community came together on Sunday, March 28, to eat dinner while working toward reducing hunger in Erie.

Students from the art and sociology departments raised money for the Second Harvest Food Bank in Erie by selling bowls and soup in Egan Dining Hall.

Students and members of the community paid $15 for a soup and bread dinner and one of the 383 handmade bowls made by the art department, or they had the option of paying $3 to eat without purchasing the bowl.

The presale ticket sales totaled $3,200, and more tickets were sold at the door.

Those who attended the event had the chance to enter to win art or scarves in the silent auction.

The Empty Bowls event has been held for the past three years.

Seniors Lilly Parker, Alicia Peterson, Allison Hellmann and Bobby Kensinger agreed the event had a better turnout this year because it was in a good location and easy for students to get to.

Hellman, a graduate student, said, “We were pleasantly surprised by the turnout, and it was a great event.”

The event was not only for a good cause, it was also educational.

In every handmade bowl there was information about hunger relief. Those who attended the event learned that every day 16,000 children die from malnutrition, which is the equivalent of one child dying every five seconds.

The information about hunger relief showed why supporting this cause is so important.

Tyler Stauffer photo: Students from the Mercyhurst College art department sold handmade bowls to benefit the Second Harvest Food Bank.

“I am so happy with the turnout,” senior Betsy Morningstar said. “It is wonderful to see the community and Mercyhurst come together for this great cause.”

Morningstar was one of the students in charge of running the event.

Students who attended the event were also pleased.

“This was a really cool idea and a pretty awesome event. I am glad my roommate invited me,” senior Emily McDowell said.

“I had a great time seeing my friends and enjoying soup all while supporting a great cause,” freshman Paige Bosnyak said.