Autumn brings out comforting foods like hearty warm soups to share around the family table. But Chris Hyde makes delicious soups all year, and then generously gives them away to the community. When Hyde prepares hundreds of servings of free soups in his Olympia kitchen, he is doing much more than creating a nourishing meal for those experiencing life challenges or food insecurity. The “Souperman” is also making connections among local community members who want to support neighbors in need.
“The sacred circle of giving and receiving is a real thing,” Hyde says. “Soup is not necessarily for the people who are food insecure. Soup has a community connections part.”
Hyde says making and giving away soup each week is one of the best decisions he has ever made.
‘Souperman’ Hyde Makes Free Soup at His Olympia Home Since 2023
Hyde began his soup making from his Bigelow Avenue home in Olympia in September 2023. The “Souper Sunday – Free Soup for All” project came to him as a calling to give back after he retired, and to inspire hope. “Everybody deserves to eat,” he says. His mission statement describes his concept simply, “Making healthy delicious meals for your community, for free, will really do something.” And he started cooking.
Hyde’s kitchen is an aromatic soup heaven, with a wall of jars holding spices and dried ingredients, a preparation table where vegetables are chopped, hand-written recipes, a busy stove with bubbling pots of soup, and an oven of roasting vegetables. His nutritious and delicious recipes include East African peanut soup; chicken/rice/white bean harvest soup; vegan harvest soup; meaty chili; Cuban pork and bean soup; tomato mushroom soup; clam chowder; and more.
Hyde also gives away Basics Boxes of nonperishables like cans of tuna and dry noodles, plus he often provides Starbucks protein packs and extra vegetables.
To fund the effort, Hyde receives donations of ingredients and supermarket gift cards (no cash) and uses his own money. In addition to cooking, he handles the administrative work to process soup requests through Facebook page orders. He coordinates with persons and organizations wanting to donate, shops for ingredients, and develops recipes and teaching materials. He is also writing a cookbook with illustrations by Olympia artist Roxanna Groves.
When the soups and boxes are ready, Hyde posts the information and receives individuals’ orders, all through Facebook. He sets the boxes and soup containers on his front porch for scheduled pick-ups. He says he spends 50 to 60 hours per week on the project, providing about 175 weekly meals with an estimated 7,800 portions distributed so far.
Hyde and Local Supporters Give Meals to Olympia Community Members Experiencing Life Challenges
Hyde explains there are countless situations where Olympia community members can benefit from a free meal. They may be a single parent exhausted after a long day, a neighbor recovering from sickness or injury, artists and musicians low on funds, students, workers finding themselves between jobs, or anyone who could use a free, healthy delicious meal.
Hyde says one single mother ordering soup is working full-time and living in a studio apartment. She does not qualify for food stamps, but after she pays bills like her rent and car payment, her cupboards are bare by mid-month. “A lot of people fall through the cracks,” he says. “These are well-meaning people, hardworking people.”
Hyde encourages anyone needing soup and other foods he distributes to contact him on Facebook, and not be reluctant to ask for help. “There is sacredness in actually receiving, in good will,” he says. “The reciprocity is what makes this group work.”
And the project’s reciprocal and neutral approach supports both recipients and givers. No religion, politics or theology is associated. “We feed bellies and souls, and that attracted a really good group of people,” he says of individuals and organizations donating. McKinney’s Appliance gave a freezer so Hyde can store extra portions in a Soup Library, as he calls it. Other donors include Ralph’s Thriftway, Lew Rents and the Thurston County Food Bank, to name just a few.
Hyde Receives Local, National and International Attention for Project that Gives Soup and Hope
Hyde’s project has received local, national and international attention. KOMO’s story about Hyde has received 1.2 million views. U.S. Rep. Marilyn Strickland recognized Hyde, and he’s been interviewed seval times by different organizations. He hears from people all over the world who are inspired by his story and gifts of soup. “It’s really given people a sense of hope,” he says. “A lot of the aspects are beyond me. I am just the facilitator.”
Hyde’s project is dedicated primarily to Olympia, although he developed how-to materials if others want to start projects elsewhere. Visit the Facebook page to learn more and place an order. In the future, Hyde hopes have a website, and a phone number to receive text orders.
