Soup and a Smile program provides dignity and community with each meal

Nearly every Monday from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., Revelstoke’s United Church hums with activity as patrons settle in for warm food, warm smiles and a chance to connect over lunch. Supportive living groups have it as part of their weekly schedule, folks working at downtown businesses use it as a moment to step out of the office and those looking to stretch their food budget just a little farther sit down to enjoy a meal.

This is Soup and a Smile, the outreach program United Church’s Beth Campbell started nearly 29 years ago, and it is still running today with over 20 volunteers. The program began as a way to fill a need within the congregation, but has since opened to everyone in Revelstoke. Patrons order their pick of soup, garlic bread or bun, tea, coffee or juice from a volunteer who comes to their table. The meal arrives between conversations, laid out on a tray and warm to the touch.

“It’s supposed to have the feeling of warmth, of care from everyone here,” Soup and a Smile coordinator Clara Maltby told Revelstoke Mountaineer, explaining one of the core missions of the program is to create a meal opportunity for everyone in the community. 

A sense of dignity

“No matter what you pay, no matter who you are, everyone gets the same experience.”

While taking orders from other patrons and wiping down tables for the next guests, volunteers will stop by for a moment and check in. How’s the meal, do you need anything else, are you ready for dessert? A yes to that last question will soon summon a tray lined with various cake slices, again an opportunity for guests to choose what they want.

The experience follows a mindset that has helped shift various community services, from food banks to reproductive resources, creating a sense of dignity that increases the likelihood that those who need the resource will return.

“We don’t ask why you’re here, we don’t worry about that,” Maltby explained. “This is just for the community to come together. For all of the community to be able to come together.”

Formerly guests would line up and serve themselves before finding a seat, but pandemic restrictions and a need to adapt to changing health requirements due to COVID-19 saw the change in operation. But it’s a change Maltby said they’ve benefited from.

“It gives us an opportunity for more one-on-one, rather than just come grab your soup, grab your dessert and sit down and then grab your dirty dishes. This way now our servers talk to them, get to know their names.”

Soup and a Smile has become a way to stretch food budgets just a little more for some, the low cost lunch and reclaimed breads available for patrons to choose from as they head out. For others, it’s a long-standing moment to connect.

The Soup and a Smile connection

“It’s a good way to get out of the house,” patron Chris told Revelstoke Mountaineer. He is one of the Nexus Community Support Society members who come together every Monday for a meal at the church, their front table buzzing with jokes and talk about the latest Grizzlies game. “Everyone smiles at you, and the food is really good!”

As volunteers and regular patrons get to know each other, celebrations will be called out for everyone to hear. Whether singing happy birthday, announcing a new grandchild or excitement for decent weather in the forecast.

“For some folks, this is their chance to be around folks for the day,” Maltby said. “I keep in mind I might be the first person some have talked to that day.”

Dale Dusang, who has been volunteering with Soup and a Smile for years now, told the Mountaineer he’s more than happy to give back to a community that stepped in when he and his family needed a hand.

“The community took care of me and my family. Now I’m giving back,” Dusang said. “At the end of the day I like to say, ‘thanks for the opportunity to be of service, where I could help someone today’.”

Whether it’s greeting new faces and letting them know what to expect or preparing coffee the way a regular once mentioned they prefer, Dusang said he gets just as much out of the friendliness that’s a core part of Soup and a Smile. As Revelstoke continues to grow, he sees the need for the program remaining, in part due to rising cost of living but also to keep the community connected.

“A majority of the people here are elderly, yes. It means something for them to have this chance to get out and see folks.”

Organizer Anne Nicholson noted that more young folks are attending Soup and a Smile, but she wondered if there is a potential shuttle feature in the future.

“I’ve thought about seniors who can’t get out, but if someone could volunteer to come get them and bring them in, they could enjoy the company.”

Revelstoke’s community spirit on display

While Soup and a Smile continues to attract more guests, a lack of volunteers is not one of the growing pains the program faces, Maltby explained. She has taken to writing down contact information for those interested in volunteering so she can reach out if and when spots open up. Current kitchen and hall size at United Church restricts the amount of bodies that can comfortably operate preparing soups, cleaning dishes and serving meals.

Grants and financial support from Revelstoke Credit Union and Revelstoke Foundation Grants help cover the grocery costs for some of the soups made and donations from patrons help cover general costs. Guests are asked to donate $5 if possible, but Maltby and Nicholson both know that’s not always possible for each guest.

“If you can afford it, great! If you cannot, please keep coming. We want you here either way,” Maltby emphasized.

Volunteers rotate through soup recipes, large batches of soups are pre-made by “soup bees,” and food recovered through the Local Food Initiative and Food Recovery programs help build the menu offered each week. There are fan favorite soups, such as the hamburger soup, and seasonal specials.

A table at the front entrance is often filled with breads just past expiry that are free for all patrons to take home, leftovers from food recovery that maybe don’t make the best garlic breads but are still good to eat. Passing any leftovers along to others in need helps Soup and a Smile continue to keep waste down. In partnership with the Revelstoke Women’s Shelter Society, leftover soups and desserts are brought to the shelter at the end of the day for clients to enjoy. 

“It’s my happy place,” Nicholson said when asked what keeps her connected to the program. “You come in here and you go and say hello to folks. You get to know their names and who they are in your community.”

All the volunteers keep Soup and a Smile a well oiled operation, Maltby emphasized. Whether it’s Pam collecting food recovery donations from Save-On Foods, United Church Reverend Gloria Christian who hosts Soup and a Smile and stops to greet every new face, the kitchen “dream team” of Sharon, Josie, Lynn, Jean, Helen and Bev, working to get soups and breads doled out for most of the time the program has been running. Sandy, who has joined in the kitchen, and clean up crew Jan, Vivian and Rosemary. Long-time servers Dale, Cathy, and Lee check in on each guest to see where they’re at, and recent newcomers Julia, MJ and Lisa jump in wherever needed.