AUBURN — Within an hour, 170 pieces of pottery dwindled to just a couple dozen cups, small bowls and plates as dozens of people made their way through the door for the eighth annual Empty Bowls Supper at the First Universalist Church in Auburn.

The annual fundraiser warmed hearts as well as stomachs while benefiting Trinity Jubilee Center in Lewiston. And for one local family, this year’s supper served as a transition from attending the event to working behind the counter in an effort to give back to their community.

“We really feel like we want to instill this in our kids,” said Julia Dumont of Auburn, who volunteered at the event with her husband, Rene, and three sons. “It’s this sense of helping our community. I think it’s important to teach them that every little thing they do can make a difference.”

Dumont said the family has attended the event every year and bought pieces of the handmade pieces donated by potters from around the state. The family decided this year to do more than just add to their growing collection of bowls, cups and plates.

Sons Connor, 17, a student at Edward Little High School, and twins Austin and Noah, 13, students at Auburn Middle School, were all required to complete community service hours for school. The family decided to volunteer their time to a cause they all believed in.

“I’m very fortunate I’m able to have a meal every night and not everybody has that so I wanted to help out,” Austin Dumont said. “I think it’s important to have an understanding that I’m able to help out. It’s good to go out into the community and help.”

The Jubilee Center is a community center in downtown Lewiston, open seven days a week. Each month it provides an average of 2,000 meals and 800 bags of groceries to people struggling to feed their families.

Funds raised during the event help stock the center’s food pantry for the 200 to 250 families it serves each week.

“It’s great visibility for us in the community,” Kim Wettlaufer, executive director of Trinity Jubilee Center, said. “It’s a very basic meal, but sometimes that’s all we serve (at Trinity), because that’s all we have.”

Wettlaufer said last year’s event raised about $3,000 for the center. He hoped to raise close to that amount this year, but pointed out that there were about 30 less bowls, cups and plates for sale this year compared to last.

Even more than money, Wettlaufer said the event raises awareness about the needs of people struggling throughout the community.

“It’s very eye-opening for people who don’t see it all the time,” Wettlaufer said. “It helps develop support from people who don’t know what we do.”

Attendees were invited to buy a piece of pottery, eat dinner and listen to local musician Greg Boardman. Potters from around the state donated bowls, plates and mugs, and more than a dozen local restaurants donated food.

Erin Reed, development director and volunteer coordinator for Trinity, said people look forward to the event each year. This was her first year planning the event after longtime development director Dell Caron Gray left Trinity last year due to health-related issues.

“It seems to grow every year,” Reed said. “Everywhere I went, people already knew about it and were excited about it. They wouldn’t be here if they didn’t already know what we do and support us.”