Soup's On -- HOSTING A HOLIDAY PARTY & EXTENDING A HELPING HAND

By Jessica Fisher


As the classic tale recounts, "the children were nestled all snug in their beds, while visions of sugarplums danced in their heads." The holiday season surely evokes feelings of anticipation. Parties, concerts, and family get-togethers are in abundance. Giftgiving – and getting – abounds. Visions of sugar plums (and the latest cool gadget) dance in our heads. While this "most wonderful time of the year" contains many opportunities to give, the desire to receive is equally pervasive. Children and parents are both susceptible to becoming more self-focused – and selfish – between the months of December and January.

One great way to combat these feelings and to build compassion for the less fortunate is to host a Soup's On! Party for friends and family. It's easy: Cook up several kettles of your favorite soups and invite friends to join you for a cozy winter supper. The only stipulation is that each guest must bring one or more canned soups to be donated to your local food pantry. Not only is it a great time to enjoy fellowship with people you love, but it is also an excellent opportunity for you and those in your life to look beyond your many blessings and desires in order to share with others. What a fun, festive way to hold a food drive!

The theme of a Soup's On is, of course, soup. What better menu to serve on a cold wintry evening? Hot and delicious, soup is easy to prepare before hand and doesn't need a lot of fuss at serving time. Plus, it is the perfect "help-yourself-to-seconds" dish. Likewise, as a food pantry donation item, the canned variety proves to be a meal in itself. An added blessing for those who will be receiving it and who might not have adequate facilities for extensive food preparation is that it is easily heated.

HERE ARE SOME TIPS TO MAKE YOUR SOUP PARTY A SUCCESS: 
Make it festive. Spend an evening with your family creating a guest list and making creative invitations to send. Simple paper cutouts are easy to assemble. Consider a soup bowl shape with alphabet "noodles" spelling out the details of your party. Mimic Andy Warhol and make your own reproduction of the Campbell's soup can. Use your imaginations to brainstorm some fun ideas. Be sure to include on your invitation the particulars of the party as well as an explanation of the food drive portion of it. Chances are your own holiday decorations will prove festive enough. Twinkling lights, candles, a roaring fire, and soft music will look beautiful against a winter night backdrop. Consider crafting paper bag luminaries to line the walkway to your home.

Prepare for receiving food donations.
Contact your local food pantry to determine their specifications (many prefer not to receive glass containers). Gather sturdy cardboard boxes to place near your front door on the night of the party. Some food banks will even provide cartons for this purpose. Find out ahead of time where you can deliver your donation the day after your party. (See sidebar for area food cupboards who accept donations).

Gather your party goods. 
Whether china or sturdy disposables, make sure you have enough bowls, cups, spoons and napkins for your crowd. Consider having extras, especially if you will be serving more than one kind of soup. The goal of this party is good food, great fellowship, and generosity, so don't get too distracted by elaborate details. Disposable serving ware will add to your sense of peace, lighten your work load, and help you enjoy your party.

Plan your menu. 
Select two or three of your favorite soups, varying the styles to better accommodate the differing tastes of your guests.

There are plenty from which to choose: stew, chili, chowder, minestrone, cream, noodle, or vegetarian soup. An excellent cookbook reference is Jacqueline Heriteau's A Feast of Soups. Don't forget to include a simple beverage bar, lots of good bread and butter as an accompaniment, and a supply of cookies for an easy dessert.

Follow up. 
After the party, work with the kids to prepare thank you notes for your friends, expressing gratitude to them for partnering with you in this act of service. Include a count of how much food was collected and where it was delivered.

Make sure to involve your kids. 
The more of a vested interest your children have in this project, the more likely they are to cultivate appreciation for what they have and compassion towards those who have less. Your cheerfulness and enjoyment of the experience together will send the message that serving others is really a good thing, not a chore. Not only will you bless those who are less fortunate, but your own family will also benefit from this project for years to come.

Where to Donate Food (and/or Money) Locally 
Foodlink 
328-3380  ~ warehouse@foodlinkny.org 
Foodlink will also accept non-food donations in good condition. Contact Foodlink to schedule a time to drop off your donation or to have it picked up. Pick-ups can be arranged for donations of seven boxes or more of large non-food item donations.

All food items to be donated must be: In their original, unopened package Within the expiration date on the package In plastic jars or containers, not glass No homemade food items can be accepted Non-food items that are new or in gently used condition only 

Open Door Mission Samaritan House 
210 West Main Street, Rochester 
9am-9pm http://www.opendoormission.com/Donate/Food/ 
Please keep the following in mind when selecting food items to be donated: Perishable items like milk, breakfast cereal, eggs, cheese and meats are always needed. Canned items are great.

St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church 
350 Chili Avenue, Rochester 
235-4494 http://www.ststephensrochester.com/outreach.htm 
Donations of food and money are gladly accepted at the above location.

The Pittsford Food Cupboard 
Old Pickle Factory, 1 Grove Street, Pittsford 
Contact: 248-2427 http://www.stlouischurch.org/banners/pfc.htm 
Donations of food and money are gladly accepted at the above location.

 

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