MIDDLEBURG – Give a meal, get a meal – that's the idea behind the annual18th Annual  Empty Bowls charity drive.

The $20 ticket grants you entry to the luncheon on April 23 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Orange Park United Methodist Church Family Life Center, where you will receive an artisan bowl handcrafted by talented students at Lake Asbury Junior, Oakleaf and Ridgeview highs and St. Johns Country Day School.

Since the bowl is a decorative piece, the hot soup will be poured into a separate container. The soup varieties will include chicken noodles, chili, broccoli and cheddar and vegetable. Each serving also comes with a side of bread and water. 

"The idea is to emulate the typical soup kitchen so that you can eat like someone who may be homeless. It raises awareness for food scarcity," Nina Wunderlich, President of the Salvation Army Woman's Auxiliary of Clay County, said. 

The $20 ticket will help fund the food pantry at the Salvation Army, which helps feed the less fortunate in the community. Empty Bowls event will also have a silent auction and bake sale, which will raise money for the Salvation Army. 

 "Clay County has always been supportive," Wunderlich said.  

The event is sponsored by the Salvation Army Woman's Auxiliary, Vystar Credit Union and McDonald's of Orange Park. Superintendent David Broskie will be the guest speaker.

The church is located at 2042 Reed St. For more information, call (904) 276-6677 or email SAWAClayCounty@gmail.com.

You can purchase tickets at the door or by visiting give.salvationarmyflorida.org/event/empty-bowls/e560099.