Soup Sisters: A Hug in a Bowl
Soup Sisters is a registered national charitable organization dedicated to providing highly nourishing, well-balanced soup meals to food-insecure students, families, and individuals. More than just a warm meal, our soup is a Hug in a Bowl—a simple yet powerful gesture of care and compassion.
Founded in Calgary on March 3, 2009, by lifelong soup enthusiast Sharon Hapton, Soup Sisters began as a grassroots movement to support women and children fleeing family violence and youth in crisis. Through community soup-making events, we expanded to 27 cities across Canada and the U.S., delivering over 4 million servings to emergency shelters and social agencies.
Adapting & Innovating: The Soup Bank
When the COVID-19 pandemic halted in-person gatherings, we pivoted quickly, launching Canada’s only Soup Bank—a cost-effective, large-scale production model that ensures stable food costs while maximizing impact. Since 2020, we’ve produced and distributed 100,000+ servings annually to frontline agencies, including:
• Domestic violence emergency shelters
• Marginalized seniors & transitional housing for the homeless
• First Nations communities
• Youth in crisis & centers for addiction and mental health
• Food banks & frontline healthcare workers, Emergency/Crisis Support
By providing soup at cost with no profit margins or transportation fees, agencies can allocate more resources to critical services instead of spending stretched budgets on food. Our soups, delivered free and ready to heat and serve, also help ease the burden on staff and volunteers.
Something magical happens when people gather to make soup, then give soup. We have partnered with our favourite cooking schools and culinary partners to get together the Soup Sisters way!
Deliver ‘Hugs in a Bowl’ to your local agencies in need.
The Heart Behind the Soup
“When you’re afraid and alone, sometimes what you need most is something simple—a small kindness, a wordless sign that someone, somewhere, has you in their thoughts.” – Fear is Not Love, Calgary
Our volunteers and partners share this belief. As one Soup Sisters volunteer put it:
“I think about how it must feel when someone arrives at a shelter, rattled and on an empty stomach. We really are feeding body, mind, soul, and spirit.”
“Soup Sisters have made an incredible impact on Sir John A Macdonald School by providing hot soup lunches each month to nearly 800 students. Their commitment to inclusivity ensures that every student receives a warm and delicious bowl of soup, free from any stigma or barriers to qualification. Our students love to volunteer, participating in the setup and serving of the soup. The health-promoting benefits of these Soup Days cannot be overstated. The soups are not only consistent and flavorful, but they also cater to diverse dietary needs with options that include halal, vegan, and gluten-free varieties. For some of our students, this nutritious meal is their main meal of the day, and we’ve observed significant positive impacts on their well-being and academic performance.” Delasi M., BA, BEd, MEd – Teacher
Sustained by Community, Recognized for Impact
Thanks to Lineage Logistics, which delivers our soup nationwide at no cost, we continue to expand our reach. Our bestselling cookbooks, published by Random House, have provided additional funding to support our mission.
Founder Sharon Hapton has been widely recognized for her impact, receiving the Governor General’s Meritorious Service Medal, along with honors from Chatelaine, CityTV, Global Television, YWCA, and Women of Influence Magazine.
Soup it Forward!
At Soup Sisters, we believe in the power of simple solutions and the resilience of community. No matter the challenge, we remain committed to sharing warmth, comfort, and hope—one bowl at a time.