"Pay-what-you-can" cafe in Minneapolis aims to combat food insecurity
MINNEAPOLIS — Soup.
Soup.
And more soup.
On Friday, it was cooked by Chef John. But Chef Judah is the mastermind behind Soup for You Café in the Longfellow neighborhood.
"I was hungry the first eight years of my life. I was born in a poor country in Africa" said Chef Judah. "And also I was homeless here in Minneapolis."
But volunteers say Judah took his experience and created more than just a soup kitchen, they focus on community.
"It's a mixture of all people from different classes, from all different races, from all different social economic status'" said one volunteer.
With a live band too.
A message "Soup for You" wants to get across is insecurity comes in many different forms. Some people come here just to get a cup of soup and some people come here not even for that, but the social interaction that they don't get.
Ingredients come from grocery stores and people like you.
"Whatever people donate to us, we add it to the plates" another volunteer told WCCO.
So customers like Joyce can get served just as they would at a restaurant — but pay they price they can — which many times is zero... which is totally fine too.
"The spirit of it brings me here because I could use the uplift and the smiling volunteers are so important" said customer Joyce Howe. "I called it a five star lunch!
With the goal of Joyce's five star lunch being this:
"We're not out to fix the world or anything... we're just here to do this and be a little point of light, as I call it" said Chef Judah.
Soup for You is located at 2730 E. 31st St. in Minneapolis.
It's open Monday through Friday from noon to 1:00 p.m.
If you or someone you know is facing food insecurity, call the Minnesota Food Helpline at (888)-711-1151.
