It was about this time last year the Lethbridge Soup Kitchen dedicated its $500,000 expansion. The soup kitchen managed to raise funds without any tax dollars. “We feel kind of proud about the fact that we built this structure without having to borrow money, which we can’t do anyway. Without having to access government funding, without having to really do a major fundraiser,” said soup kitchen executive director Bill Ginther. The new food distribution centre makes sure food not being used by the soup kitchen can be used elsewhere in the community. So far this year, the soup kitchen has received almost $1.3 million in food, with 42 per cent of that being regifted. “This building allowed us to become a food distribution centre by accident. We really hadn’t planned to do that. It’s never been our mandate to do that, but the need is there. I’ve learned over the years that you respond to need. Not only because that’s what you know you’re supposed to do, but because it’s something that’s just necessary,” said Ginther. The dining area for clients was also expanded to 132 seats. But there’s still a need for more space. In 2025, the soup kitchen served just over 150,000 meals, while 2026 is on track for 200,000. “The expanded seating is inadequate. The numbers are growing. And so, I wish I could say that was a really good decision because it met all the needs, but it didn’t. So, we’ll have to explore that one again,” said Ginther. While capacity is still an issue, the overall expansion has been a success. It allowed the soup kitchen to have a much greater positive impact for the whole city. “We are not looking for more people to serve. Although if people are out there, we will serve them. So that’s kind of what this building is about,” said Ginther.
