If you have met “Souperman” Chris Hyde, you know he is always looking for ways to reduce food insecurity. And his free soup and meal kit distributions that also bring attention to the local food resource challenges heated up recently with his new local nonprofit, the Food Source Foundation. Hyde, the director, is assisted by a three-member board and many volunteers.
“Food is a basic human right,” he says, explaining that he and the foundation want to make it easier for people who are food insecure to find free nutritious food.
Hyde’s and the Food Source Foundation’s efforts are a smashing success, providing ways for people to donate and help while spotlighting how Olympia works to address food access for people who have limited resources. In fact, Hyde was one of five finalists nominated in 2025 for the Hyundai “Hometown Hero” Award to publicly recognize and share information about his support and contributions to the community.
‘Souper Sunday’ Project in Olympia Creates New Nonprofit Addressing Local Food Insecurity
Hyde began making and giving away soup at his Bigelow Avenue home in 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. What started as Hyde’s one-man effort has blossomed into a broad enterprise with people and organizations donating ingredients, supplies, funds and volunteer hours.
Hyde says a serious gap in the food system means people are falling through the cracks. While individuals with addictions or mental health issues, or who are homeless, often face affordable food access challenges, the problem is growing beyond that population. The high cost of living means many others, even those working full time, often don’t have enough money to buy food and yet they earn too much to qualify for government assistance.
“Most people don’t realize that many hard working Americans can’t afford food,” Hyde says, noting that 44% of food insecure households in Thurston County don’t meet the income level to receive Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). Recent data on who is “Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed” (ALICE) shows 33% of the county’s households earn more than the federal poverty level, but not enough to afford the basics.
That’s why Hyde wanted to do more, launching the Food Source Foundation in December 2024 as a nonprofit. The foundation can accept volunteer help as well as contributions of grants and cash, food ingredients and supplies.
New Foundation is Umbrella for Activities Bringing Awareness of Local Food Insecurity, While Strengthening Community
Hyde says the foundation is an umbrella bringing together organizations, volunteers and businesses wanting to address local food insecurity and strengthen the community. “It counteracts divisiveness when people meet each other and develop friendships,” he says. “The community support is huge.”
In addition to heightened awareness from the foundation and Hyde’s recent Hometown Hero nomination, a producer is filming a documentary on Souper Sunday’s impact. For example, the food distribution fosters connections. Hyde’s venture introduced him to the Emma Goldman Youth & Homeless Outreach Project (EGYHOP) that provides street-based outreach and food in Olympia.
Today about 200 foundation volunteers assist Hyde by cooking, networking, gardening, making deliveries, and providing support. Twelve new “Satellite Soupers” groups in three states use Hyde’s model to make and distribute free soup. “When people hear about us, they want to get involved,” Hyde says. “The biggest part of what I do is proliferate ‘Souper Sundays.’”
And there’s even more local community support. Hyde’s delicious recipes are featured in an upcoming illustrated children’s cookbook. The Three Magnets Brewing Company produced a new hazy India pale ale called “Hop Broth” as a Souper Sunday tribute. Olympia Federal Savings Two Cent Campaign fundraiser has supported the Food Source Foundation. And a “Pay-What-You-Can” fundraising dinner at BITS Café was a big hit.
Food Source Foundation Shares Free Food Resources and Ways to Contribute
The Food Source Foundation provides food without restriction. Hyde says he and the organizers believe everyone deserves healthy food. And Hyde says a lack of nutritional and tasty food impacts both physical and mental well-being. “I’m really big into the concept of healthy food being medicine, and it helps our mental health as well,” he says.
A Food Insecurity Summit is planned for the fall. Meanwhile, the Food Source Foundation’s website lists free food resources and locations in the greater Olympia area. While Hyde’s food pick-ups are currently at his home, the project has outgrown that location. The Food Source Foundation is looking for a place that accommodates bigger distributions. Donations to the foundation can be made online or through the Combined Fund Drive’s state employees’ payroll deductions.
To learn more, visit the Souper Sunday Facebook page.
