Take your kids to The Soup Bowl’s Drop-In this August!

The Soup Bowl (TSB), which invites the poor to the table for a wholesome meal, spends quality time with elders and children living in homes.

TSB was thrilled to have a group of kids on their school holidays join TSB at the Drop-In centre on 2 August, spending their precious time to serve lunch to the economically challenged at the Scott Hall, Kollupitiya Methodist Church. 

Throughout the period of school holidays, TSB welcomes children who’d like to spare an hour of their holiday time to help TSB serve lunch from 12 noon to 1 p.m. on Fridays at the Drop-In, which is the Soup Kitchen of TSB. 

People can support TSB by either donating or volunteering their time. The cost each week in serving 125 plates is Rs. 33,875, which includes transport and dessert. Those who would like to join to help and serve at this weekly event or donate for lunch or dessert, can contact Rishani on +94774841134 or Erandi on +94714233614.

Leave no room for waste 

WeGiveStuffAway (WGSA) is the Food Pantry of TSB and is a project which rescues and channels surplus food, dry rations and other items to needy homes and families on a daily basis (Monday to Friday). The following is a story of one of its many beneficiaries, a 57-year-old lady who lives in a household with her husband, children, and other family members, with a total of 11 members in their household. 

Of these 11, she and her husband alone are employed. Her husband does odd jobs and she works at a tea supply company, in cleaning the tea leaves. WGSA greatly helps to reduce their daily/monthly expenses as buying from the store would be more costly to feed all the people in the household. Also, her children are going to school (school supplies, fees, etc. require a lot of money) so having the food provided through WGSA is beneficial and a substantial financial relief. 

Other beneficiaries supported by WGSA also have similar circumstances. TSB hopes that through these brief testimonials, people will see the impact made in the lives of communities through WGSA. TSB hopes that this project will serve as an example that continues to create a ripple effect of love and generosity from its benefactors to its beneficiaries, and through them to the communities around them. To volunteer or donate to WGSA call Erandi on +94714233614.

Refugees: What’s next?

As Pope Benedict XVI once said, Jesus was a refugee – a fact that should be remembered as societies around the world deal with the modern issues of refugees. Throughout centuries, Christian populations have at times suffered the necessity to leave their homelands, impoverishing the countries where they and their ancestors had lived. 

Sri Lanka hosts over 1,700 refugees currently, a drop in the ocean when compared to other countries. The Soup Bowl is committed to helping ease the hardships that all refugees, Christian and non-Christian, face in Sri Lanka. If you have a heart for this cause, you could help by donating items like light cool clothing in good condition for adults and children, toys, books or rations. Reach out to Erandi on +94714233614 for more information.

The Soup Bowl is a private charity founded by Rishani Sittampalam Semasinghe. Its current members are Erandi Narangoda, Ruwanthi Elwalagedera, Pasan David, Kshanika Argent, Shehan Semasinghe, Chamathka U. Gamage and Priyadharshini Niles.