Start a roadside "Soup Kitchen"

I REALLY want to do this!!! I will make it happen! 2 years ago

:-(
when i get back hopefully… this will happen.
:-) 3 years ago

the idea…
2nd step making it happen… the hardest step
So i bought some mugs, and a friend of mind is bringing me some callico material tomorrow which i will make signs out of to advertise. I also bought a second hand stainless steel pot and another pressure cooker, bring my soup pot holding capacity to 3×4 ltr pressure cookers, and three x 3 ltr stainless pots.

that’s 20 litres of soup i can sell …
few more things to sort but i am on my way. 5 years ago

see the “long version” with spelling and typing mistakes sprinked throughout…
here: http://sustainablemind.blogspot.com/

Providing, drive through service (with room for buses) serving; vegan, organically grown, highly nutritious and tummy-filling soup…with a wholemeal/grain/white organic bread roll (hopefully catering to allergies).

The soup would be served in cups purchased via a local charity and able to be refilled for a cheaper rate than with a mug thrown in on your next visit or drive by. Encouraging re-use of the same mug.

My property is located on a main road with 750 mtrs road frontage, i have already sold over $1000 of garage sale items in a little over a week. It is a busy spot with easy access and ample room for signage as free advertising.

I have been trying to contact the right PR person in the Salvo’s today to talk about it.

Benefits of such an idea…

(1) A charity which will allow me to take some initial mugs (say 100) on consignment for a month, could be repaid from the profit margin of the sales, which then in turn provides greater resources for the needy in our local community.

(side issues)

(a) it would be nice to see a young local boy/girl employed on a part or full time basis with these funds in such a high unemployment, high teen suicide rate, electorate.
i. suggest employment of someone to repair disabled peoples leaky taps
..... who currently have to fund this themselves out of their pensions that our taxes pay.
..... plumbers are expensive – and very busy!.
..... our precious natural resource, water, which we so need greatly to grow our foodcrops is being dammed in paradise, (cut off at an “elbow” in the still lovely, Burnett river) whilst flowing down our electorates drains in Bundaberg!

(2) Sustainable natural resources utilised wherever possible.

(a) fallen and sustainable harvested timber collected from within the properties legal boundaries for daily wood fires (to cook and sterilise) – reducing the current high danger of run away wild bushfires in dry the season.

(b) rain water from 2×5000 tanks utilised

i. exceptions:
ii. mains powered refrigeration currently necessary
iii. gas powered barbeques necessary during wet/inclement weather.
iv. townwater water to be carried in where necessary.

(c) All natural lighting – not operating at night time.

(3) Low impact

. sustainable recycling.
. no wastage of product or containers,
production, or recycling need for such energy intensive (and polluting) industries as per regular roadside eateries ie: aluminium cans or glass bottles,
. no plastics or styrofoams used (which contribute to climate change gases and pollutants)
. no landfill waste space necessity.
(and mugs and spoons would be pre-sterilised after purchase via boiling in gas powered boiler or in a stainless steel bucket over wood on an open fire)

“taking” from the environment:

. rainy day bottled gas supplies necessary for the sterilising of the bowls and maintaining constant temperature of soup.
. refrigeration of vegetables via mains power.

“giving back” to the environment

. cheap nutritious food for those who are hungry

Benefits of Safety Aspects

Worthy of consideration to further promote the concepts of this idea is that the customers would not be permitted to drive until the soup was consumed onsite. The danger of burns and possible resultant accidents is too high without some form of sealable cap on the hot mugs of soup (which is not possible).

Consuming on site ensures the customers safety by allowing a short period of time to relax and have a break from their drive, also allows some body movement and provides an opportunity for communication in a relaxed and natural
atmosphere.

I intend to hand out fliers on the dangers we face with Climate Change, and a “nuclear powered” energy future, request signatures on the “Letter of Demand”, and spread the truth as i know it, as a gift, for those who choose to hear it.

I would like to affiliate with “FOOD NOT BOMBS”, as well as the Climate Change Action Group.

I would donate some portion of the profits to “Food not Bombs”, and as previously mentioned the charity(s) who supply utensils on consignment. Any remaining profits from sales will pay my council rates and contribute towards finishing my house (and eventually – permaculture property) to a rentable, and council approved, standard.

Long term, I would prefer to have my “home base” in a tent out the back of the block (whilst not on the road), and not have to pay the local council for temporary camping permits. 5 years ago