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QUINCY, ILL. -- More than a thousand people filled the halls of Quincy Senior High School Sunday to enjoy a bowl of soup and support a good cause.

Horizons Social Services hosted its 2nd annual Empty Bowl fundraiser.

Horizons is an organization that runs a food pantry and soup kitchen in Quincy. Sarah Stephens is the executive director of the organization. She says this is its biggest fundraiser of the year.

"Last year in 2012, we served almost 24,000 meals to some of the poorest and most disadvantaged people here in Quincy. Hopefully through this event we will raise funds that we need to keep our doors open," Stephens said.

Tickets were $10 a piece, or $50 for a family of five or more. Anyone who attended the event received a hand painted bowl. Bowls were painted by students from schools around Quincy. Each of these bowls were empty to raise awareness of people in need of a meal.

"It's a good cause supporting the community. Hunger is an obvious need or an obvious issue throughout the community and to support an organization like Horizons is very important," Stephens said.

The event raised money through ticket sales, a raffle, and a silent auction. Local artists also donated painted platters for the auction.

Stephens says this was a great way to help the cause.

"It's easy sometimes to think that maybe your neighbor is not hungry or your child's friend at school was not hungry, but statistics show that one in four children in Adams County aren't sure of the source of their next meal. It's a real issue in the community," Stephens said.

This year, the event grew by adding an auction as well as clay pot wheel throwing for the children.

Stephens says last year, Horizons raised $20,000. This year it hoped to raise up to $30,000 from the Empty Bowls event.