Lillee Buechler, contributor

In honor of Earth Week, I’d love to spread awareness about an incredible soup kitchen not too far from campus. It is called “Soup for You,” a free soup kitchen located at the Holy Trinity Lutheran Church over on Lake Street. It is an incredible space for people of all backgrounds to come together and enjoy a nice bowl of soup, many desserts provided by Turtle Bread, Whole Foods and other donors and each other’s company. Everything that is made in the kitchen uses food that’s been given a second life as a way to reduce food waste while also feeding the local community.

Judah and John are the head chefs and people in charge of the soup kitchen. Judah has been running this operation for a decade with their 10-year anniversary happening just a few months ago. He has traveled across the globe, experiencing all sorts of hardships and even homelessness at one point. This is what brought him to where he is today — making soup for his friends and neighbors five days a week. John used to be a professor here at Augsburg before retiring and has been helping as a co-chef for Judah ever since.

It wouldn’t be Soup for You without its volunteers, and every day there are around 5-10 staff that come in to help take orders, bring out appetizers and of course, the desserts. Other Campus Kitchen workers and I go to Soup for You every Tuesday to help out, and it is a truly remarkable experience to be a part of. There is so much love every time you enter the space, with many friendly faces and a crew that works hard to bring the best food to its community. 

I have been a part of Soup for You for almost two years, and I truly feel like it is a second home. If you need food, they’ve got you covered. If you need clothing or any necessities, they are prepared to find some for you. If you are struggling to find food that meets your needs, they will go out of their way to provide food that can meet those needs. Every week they have vegan, vegetarian, halal and dairy-free options. No matter what you order it will always make you want to come back for more. They have many different kinds of soups each week, and I am always bugging the chefs to see if I can try a little bit of everything because it’s just so good!

The food is made with so much love and the people who come in are not just considered regulars, but family. I’ve seen kids growing up there, and we’ve mourned people who have passed there. Any person who steps into Soup for You becomes a beloved member no matter how long you’ve been there, and it makes me so happy to be a part of their team.