It was when traveling on assignment in India that journalist Stephen Henderson first learned of soup kitchens operated by Sikh houses of worship (or gurudwaras). After volunteering for a week at the Gurudwara Bangla Sahib in Delhi—which feeds 20,000 men, women, and children every day—Henderson became curious to research global gastrophilanthropy, or the very different ways in which hungry people are served free meals around the world. When newspaper and magazine work dispatched him to places across America and abroad, Henderson would add days to his itineraries to learn about local customs of charitable cookery. This intriguing series of field reports reveals the clamor, chaos, and compassion of kitchens in places such as Iran, Israel, and South Korea, as well as those in Austin, Los Angeles and Pittsburgh. While the recipes, culinary methods, and clientele may vary, all the soul-stirring experiences share a common theme: a great way to show love to the needy is through the gift of food. Written with a huge heart, and an even bigger appetite, these chapters—sad and funny, sometimes both—may inspire you to embark on your own acts of gastrophilanthropy. Now released in paperback, Stephen Henderson's revised edition adds two new chapters reflecting on the COVID-19 pandemic and its effect on food insecurity and homelessness. His latest perspective demonstrates even further the necessity for all to step up in any way they can. After all, someone, somewhere, is always hungry.

An evocative, gorgeous four-season look at cooking in Maine, with 100 recipes No one can bring small-town America to life better than a native. Erin French grew up in Freedom, Maine (population 719), helping her father at the griddle in his diner. An entirely self-taught cook who used cookbooks to form her culinary education, she now helms her restaurant, The Lost Kitchen, in a historic mill in the same town, creating meals that draw locals and visitors from around the world to a dining room that feels like an extension of her home kitchen. The food has been called “brilliant in its simplicity and honesty” by Food & Wine, and it is exactly this pure approach that makes Erin’s cooking so appealing—and so easy to embrace at home. This stunning giftable package features a vellum jacket over a printed cover.

The contemporary soup kitchen -- A historical perspective -- The tabernacle soup kitchen -- Field study methods -- Profile of the guest population -- Loneliness -- An ambience of acceptance -- Social networks and social support -- Self-help in the dining room : guests as counselors -- Staff philosophy and the concept of ministry -- Concluding thoughts -- Epilogue.

A look inside the Lebanon Soup Kitchen reveals the miracles God works in the lives of the servers and the served. They find new meaning in life and faith in humanity by volunteering to help, or by accepting a free meal. Material boundaries disappear in the compassion for physical, emotional and spiritual needs. People come searching for acceptance of who they are and validation of their value as a human. As they share their stories, tears are shed in both heart-breaking and joy-filled accounts. It is in the bare human needs where God works in the smallest detail to bring a light of hope. A town of 13,000 reaches out three nights a week to serve restaurant-style baked chicken, Mexican casserole or German meatloaf in a safe, friendly atmosphere. Volunteers, the homeless, the working poor and the disabled come together for more than a meal, more than take-home food and more than hand-me-down clothes; the real thing they find is connection with a caring community.

On Mount Desert Island, Maine, winter can mean six months of isolation and tough times, as year-round residents hunker down through the cold season. Larry Stettner and Bill Morrison vowed to change that. In November 2009, the Common Good Soup Kitchen opened its doors to the public, offering free soup as well as live music and a place for locals to gather, interact, and help each other. In its first winter of operation, the Common Good served over 10,000 bowls of soup to the community. Run entirely by donations, grants, and volunteer labor, the café also runs a distribution program to deliver soup to senior residences and others who cannot make it out to the café. In Cooking for the Common Good, Stettner and Morrison argue that we need to radically rethink the concept of the soup kitchen, emphasizing true community building along with incorporating healthy and locally sourced food. The book includes a lively third-person narrative telling the story of how the Common Good Soup Kitchen was created; the authors' unique cooking philosophy; some of their most popular soup and salad recipes; and a full appendix with resources and a sample grant application for others interested in starting their own soup kitchen. "Today access to whole foods, local organic foods, and sustainable fisheries is more important than ever for our well-being. But, because of economic inequities, good whole food is once again hard to get. Organic foods are largely available to the wealthiest and most privileged among us. Let us break down the bastions and make natural, whole food—including organically based soups—for everyone." —from chapter 2, "The Soup Manifesto"

Life on the streets can be hard. When you have no place to live, no secure place to store your valuables and not much room to carry your stuff, simple things can make a big difference. Suddenly things we take for granted become IMPORTANT! This book has the stories of some of these people... People like Fireman Dave and his grim situation... The mysterious case of the trash can man... And the angel who came for lunch. It is also a complete cookbook of more than 100 recipes used in the Gospel Mission soup kitchen. Well-balanced, non-allergenic whole food meals which are low in carbs and designed to provide maximum nutrition to the population served. And quantities are listed for a family of five as well as the large group they serve. We invite you to take a peek into the mysterious dark side of life-we promise that you won't be bored!