The community came out for a meal of bread and soup for a good cause on Wednesday, as Lompoc's Empty Bowls Fundraiser returned in-person for the first time since 2019.
The fundraiser supports the Foodbank of Santa Barbara County.
"It's nice to be able to be back in-person and support this great cause," Patti Coggin, a fundraiser supporter, told KSBY.
Wednesday's event happened at the Dick DeWees Community & Senior Center, and each participant enjoyed a meal and got to take a hand-painted bowl home.
Soups were donated by local groups and restaurants.
"Obviously there's a great need here," Foodbank CEO Erik Talkin said. "We distribute about a million pounds worth of food in Lompoc every year to about 16,000 people. So the Foodbank really works very carefully here."
KSBY reporter Erin Fe and meteorologist Vivian Rennie served soup at the event.
The Scripps Howard Foundation donated $5,000 to the Foodbank of Santa Barbara County, and the check was presented at the event.
