Soups On, a local organization providing meals to families and individuals in need, will be the next recipient of donations from this year’s KPMG Taste of Summer Charity BBQ.
One big family gathering
Norma Hildebrand, Lunch Program Coordinator at Soups On, says the days they serve the community feel like a family gathering.
“We’ve built a relationship. It just feels like family,” says Hildebrand.
Soups On hosts a community supper twice per week, on Tuesdays and Fridays, and serves up to 80 people per meal.
“If you need supper, we are there for you,” she says.
In addition to the supper program, Soups On holds a summer lunch program for children, supporting families and 175 kids while school is out.
Hildebrand says the donations from the KPMG Taste of Summer Charity BBQ will be going to the supper and summer lunch programs.
Come for food, stay for fellowship
“I hear these families, the moms say, ‘thank you so much for letting us feed our children.’ It’s really touching,” Hildebrand says.
She says visiting with the people she serves is a great part of her job.
“I can see how they’re doing. I can rejoice with them when they’ve got a new job, or that they’ve started school.”
Donations welcome
“There are big donors, and we are very thankful for them, but it’s those that give from the heart, and who have used our program before,” says Hildebrand.
Hildebrand is moved by the gratitude of those they serve—especially when recipients give back in small but meaningful ways, like clearing dishes or donating what they have.
The Taste of Summer Charity BBQ is held every Wednesday in front of the Steinbach Credit Union from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. supporting a new charity each week.
Written with files from Carly Koop