SOUP is a group of Detroiters who raise money for Detroiters. SOUP is a micro-funding dinner. The model of SOUP originated in Chicago. SOUP allows ordinary people to come together around ideas and bowls of soup at a public dinner. SOUP meets in a loft, anyone can come and listen to aspiring creative individuals share their ideas for how they want to improve the community of Detroit. Each project gets to present before those attending the dinner. The project presentations range from art, urban agriculture, social justice, social entrepreneurs, education, technology and more.
SOUP’s mission is “to promote community-based development through crowdfunding, creativity, collaboration, democracy, trust and fun.”
This great organization was founded by Amy Kaherl. Amy is the current director of Detroit SOUP. Amy grew up and attended college in Michigan. She studied theology and popular culture at Fuller Theological Seminary in Pasedena, California.
SOUP actually funded the grant that helped start Veronika Scott’s social enterprise company called The Empowerment Plan. Read about The Empowerment Plan on one of my other blogs.
Stay warm, Detroit, and eat soup!
What an amazing idea! It’s neat to see that people in Detroit are working together to better their city. Detroit has had it pretty rough for quite a while, but it is efforts like this that will help to build it up into the city that it once was.
This is a really great idea, and it would be great to see something like this started in other cities. It’s an innovative way for members of the community to come together, build relationships, and discuss ways they can better those around them!