Organizers are already setting their sights even higher after a fundraiser for the men's shelter in Chatham raised thousands of dollars in donations on the holiday Monday.
The inaugural "Soup's On" fundraiser at the Spirit and Life Centre took in a total of $8,185 from hundreds of donors who came out to enjoy 22 varieties of soup from more than a dozen local restaurants.
Steve Brent with the Knights of Columbus helped to put the fundraiser together and said it was so popular that they have already discussed holding a similar event next year at the Chatham Armouries or possibly the John D. Bradley Convention Centre.
"We'll be eyeing a larger venue just to keep pace with the level of need that Chatham Hope Haven has," said Brent. "There are some great dollars that need to be in place there and if this event is one way to do it, then it'll need to grow to accommodate that."
Brent said the donations are expected to help pay for some much-needed upgrades to the kitchen area at the shelter, calling the current setup "Spartan" at best. He said an important part of the fundraiser was the tours, which gave people a first-hand look at what the shelter is working with right now.
"Once you see, feel, and hear the need, you can grasp more of what has to be done," said Brent. "People who came in saw that and saw what is happening at Hope Haven."
There was no entry fee for the event -- instead, organizers chose to offer admission based on goodwill offerings. It's a move that could be considered risky for some, but Brent said he was confident it would all work out in the end.
"Chatham is known across the province -- per capita -- for giving more... people want to collaborate and do something... you have to give them an outlet for that," said Brent. "It's better to have them give from the heart than to tell them what we need to have to make the event successful -- the heart's always going to trump that."
A release from Chatham Hope Haven said the group still has a need for volunteers, either for the 7 p.m. to 11 p.m. shift or the overnight shift from 11 p.m. to 7 a.m.
You can find more information about the organization by clicking here.