Souper Kids: Serving Soup, Serving Futures

September means new notebooks, sharpened pencils, and the excitement of a new school year. But for too many children, back to school also means showing up hungry. Every day across Canada, thousands of students walk into classrooms carrying more than just books and backpacks. Many have the weight of hunger. Right now, 26% of Canadians are food insecure, including 2.4 million children. In Alberta alone, that number is 1 in 3 students.  

Hunger affects so much more than stomachs and teachers see firsthand the toll it takes: children struggling to concentrate, too tired to participate, and weighed down by the stress of not knowing where their next meal will come from.

No child should have to start their school day on an empty stomach. Hunger makes it harder to focus, learn, and thrive. Poor nutrition has lasting effects on memory, focus, and energy levels. When students eat a nourishing meal, they are better able to pay attention in class, engage with their peers, and thrive academically.

As families stretch their budgets and teachers prepare their classrooms, Souper Kids - our program that brings hot, wholesome soup directly into schools - makes sure students have what they need most: nourishment. A hot bowl of soup at lunchtime doesn't just fill an empty stomach—it fuels focus, energy, and confidence. It sets the stage for a better school year, one where children can learn without the distraction of hunger.

By feeding the whole school, Souper Kids removes stigma and replaces it with dignity. Every child sits down together, bowls full, sharing the same experience. Because meals are more than fuel—they are opportunities for connection. When students sit together over a bowl of soup, friendships form, conversations spark, and isolation fades.

And at the heart of every Souper Kids Soup Day are the volunteers.  Ladling out bowls of steaming soup, greeting students with a smile, and creating a space where kindness is served alongside nourishment.

Soup Sister and long-time volunteer Robyn Joffe believes it's a privilege to provide delicious and nutritious Hugs in a Bowl to students. She says it's this simple act of kindness that is the essence of Soup Sisters and Souper Kids.

"It's a simple thing to do for someone else, like holding a door open. But there is also something powerful in the giving. The giving of a hearty, delicious bowl of soup, and the giving of one's time. And the appreciation from the school on a Soup Day is through the roof. It starts with the excitement in the halls, when students exclaim, 'Soup Sisters are here!' and every thank you, from every student. It's remarkable and truly a gift to be able to give. From the volunteering to the receiver's gratitude, it's all so contagious. Then, at the end of every shift, the volunteers are eagerly asking, "When's the next one?!"

In our second year of this program, we delivered 20,000 Hugs in a Bowl to schools. Each serving is a step toward better learning, better health, and better futures.

Thanks to new funders: The Calgary Children's Foundation, The Calgary Flames Foundation, The Edmonton Realtors Community Foundation and the generosity of donors through the Rogers Birdies for Kids, we are looking to double our impact this school year.

We know that one bowl of soup won't solve food insecurity. But we also know that in the moment, it can make all the difference. We are deeply grateful for your support, because when we serve soup, we're also serving futures. And it’s your contribution that makes this possible.