Breadlines and Soup Kitchens
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Soup Kitchens During the Great Depression
One of the first soup kitchens was started by the infamous Chicago mobster, Al Capone. He started it in an effort to clean up his criminal image and the idea quickly spread across the country.
Interesting Fact:
History
American soup kitchens became popular around 1929 when the Great Depression started. Soup and bread were used because of their nutritious benefits and because they were extremely cheap to produce for large numbers of people.
Interesting Fact:
It is thought that the first "soup kitchens" were started by the Ancient Egyptians because they believed that feeding the hungry would benefit them in the afterlife.
How They Worked
Operated by local churches and businesses, soup kitchens were operated by benevolent volunteers and because of their nonprofit status, they could get food for little to no cost.
Why They Were Important
During the Great Depression, nearly twenty-five percent of Americans were unemployed and going hungry. If not for soup kitchens, a lot of people would have starved.
Local Soup Kitchens
Soup kitchens are still very popular and necessary. One of several soup kitchens in our area is Heart 4 The City. They operate every third Saturday of the month and they're are always looking for more volunteers.
