Eyes that see the good in things- Soup Cafe

The cold weather that North Dakota has been experiencing has generated its fair share of jokes, complaints and Facebook posts. I’ll admit— I have been one of the complainers, and would love to have a few more days at average March temperatures. However, this winter has also taught me to be careful what I wish for. It seems like every time I think it’s going to warm up, we get high winds or snow. I’m not sure which of those I would rather have.

Yes, I sometimes feel a twinge of guilt when I complain about the cold whether it be from the warmth of my home or when I go from my warm car in to work, and then back home again. That twinge of guilt grows when I read about North Dakota’s homeless population. While homeless shelters help to provide a respite from the cold at night, they often leave people with nowhere to escape the cold during the day.

Heaven’s Helpers Soup Café in Bismarck is doing its part to help alleviate that situation. The Soup Café isn’t new to Bismarck. In fact they have been serving the hungry in Bismarck began in 2009. In 2015, they made the decision to open a second location because they were “bursting at the seams” in their small building, serving 100 to 200 people a day, six days a week. They were also 2.5 miles away from the homeless shelter, which meant many patron had to make a long walk for a hot meal.

As they looked for a possible second location, closer to the shelter, they ended up losing their lease on their first building. In May 2015, the Soup Café closed. Over the next year, they searched for a new location and kicked off a fundraising campaign. By the end of February 2917, they raised $250,000— enough to purchase a building that gave them a dining room that could accommodate 76 people. This was huge compared to the capacity of 28 at their old location.

Renovations for the new location began in August, but will continue in three stages. Executive Director Mark Meier said that with the thousands of volunteer hours the kitchen and dining area were completed first and the Soup Café reopened in Bismarck in January, 2018. “It was a community effort, people chipping in and helping,” Meier said. “It’s exciting to see it all come together.”

Soup Café is set up as a restaurant where people come in, seat themselves in one of the booths. A volunteer will take their order and bring them their food. Each day the café offers two homemade soups, two sandwiches, salad bar, dessert and beverage free of charge. The café is run by volunteers and offers free meals to everyone, but accepts free will donations. Meier said while they primarily serve the homeless, the Soup Café also serve a large segment of elderly people. Eventually the plan to offer private showers, laundry facilities, sitting parlor and computer access.

The Café relies on food donations from the community. Monetary gifts are always appreciated as they help feed the hungry every day. Food donations are always helpful along with dish soap, toilet bowl cleaners, disinfectant, paper towels, toilet paper, napkins, vinyl disposable gloves, spices, meat, soup bones, coffee, creamer and many others.

In addition, the Soup Café needs additional volunteers, with registration available online at http://www.soupcafe.org or by contacting (701) 751-7687. Anyone that wants to help and give back to the community is welcome. They have hosted individual volunteers, company employee groups, boy scout and girl scout troops, church and youth groups, and individuals doing community service.

Meier encourages people who would normally go to a restaurant for lunch to stop at the soup cafe and give a donation. “Instead of going to their local restaurant and spending $10 on a meal, put $10 in the box and you’re paying it forward to a person who can’t afford it,” he said. Soup Café is located at 220 N 23rd st., Bismarck, N.D. 58501 and is open from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday. The cafe is closed on Sundays and holiday hours will vary.

Donations can be sent to PO Box 8, Bismarck, N.D. 58501.

We would love to share local stories about the good things your eyes are seeing.

Stop in to share your stories with us, give us a call at 947-2417 or e-mail us at [email protected]. Or send a letter to Eyes That See the Good in Things, c/o Allison Lindgren, The Transcript 6 8th St N., New Rockford, ND 58356.