1 of 6
2 of 6
3 of 6
4 of 6
5 of 6
6 of 6
There’s a new cookbook on store shelves – a timely collection of warm nourishing soups that have been simmered at Soup Sisters events over the years feeding women and children in need.
Calgary founder Sharon Hapton launched the super successful non-profit organization in 2009 after choosing to gather with friends to make soup for a local shelter for her 50th birthday dinner rather than go to an expensive restaurant. It was such an enjoyable experience it snowballed into more gatherings of more groups and now hundreds of Canadians are meeting up in kitchens across the country to produce over 10000 servings of homemade soup for women children and youth in need each month. Since March of 2009 over half a million servings of soup have been delivered to shelters from east to west and there is a growing network of over 12000 Soup Sisters — and now Broth Brothers — participants across the country.
Here’s how it works: groups of friends and co-workers get together to make large batches of soup led by Soup Sisters volunteers and often guest chefs making it more like a cooking class experience. After several pots are simmered (each event produces 150 to 200 nourishing servings) the soup is set aside to cool as the cooks sit down to enjoy a warm bowl together then the remainder is packaged up labeled and delivered to those who need it. Events are social evenings with lively conversation chopping laughter and warm kitchen camaraderie that culminates in a simple sit-down supper of soup salad bread and wine for all participants.
This year the third annual Big Stir fundraiser in support of the Soup Sisters — a popular event held in order to help meet the growing demand and ensure continued support of emergency shelters nationwide — takes place Tuesday November 18 from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the Calgary Farmers’ Market. Participants will get enjoy a hands-on soup-making experience led by one of the contributing chefs before sitting down to a meal. The Big Stir yields more than 2000 servings of soup in one night.
For more information to order a book or to get involved visit soupsisters.org.
