The Importance Of Soup

A comforting bowl of hot soup ready to be served.

We serve hot soup year-round at The Wednesday Community Meal but this is the start of the time of year when the temperature drops and soup does double duty because besides nourishing our guests, it warms them up. A hearty bowl of comforting soup is especially important to our homeless guests who struggle to stay warm.

Most of the soup we serve is gleaned from Good Samaritan Hospital and this is a huge help when it comes to putting together the weekly meal. Having premade soups saves us loads of preparation time and we always get a good variety, everything from basics like chicken noodle and beef barley to more exotic kinds like sweet and sour and corn chowder.  Longtime volunteer Martha is an absolute whiz at heating and serving the soup, she's been doing it regularly for years, and even sometimes combines soups to create a one of a kind special blend that always pleases. She's a pro!

Volunteer Martha at her soup station. She always goes out of her way to make every bowl beautiful with a garnish, sometimes it's shredded cheese and croutons, today it was parsley and a slice of French bread.

In addtion to the soup, we offered salad and entrees of hot turkey sandwiches, roast pork loin, teriyaki chicken skewers, orange chicken, fish and beef short ribs. There was also dessert and drinks of lemonade, coffee and hot chocolate.

We served 285 meals today.