Harmony Cafe Announces Soup For You And Your Neighbor Too, A Pay-It-Forward Initiative In Time For The Thanksgiving Season

The grassroots organization Harmony Café is announcing Soup For You And Your Neighbor Too, a pay-it-forward initiative in time for the Thanksgiving season. The buy-one-give-one program runs from November 5, 2020 to March 25, 2021, to provide farm-to-table soups to neighbors in need.

Harmony Café’s President & Founder, Rosemarie McCarthy, says the organization partnered with HeartBeet Farms, whose owner, Jenn Ross, has been engaged in extensive community service. “We believe all people deserve healthy food, regardless of means,” McCarthy says.

HeartBeet Farms’ mission is to make organically grown vegetables and plant-based soups available, and supply wholesome plant-based soups to families in need. They offer soups including harvest vegetable, kale lentil, sweet potato and carrot, white bean chard, tomato basil, potato leek, and tomato barley. The soups are priced at $10 per quart. Order and pay online at www.harmonycafeli.org and curbside pickup will be open every Thursday evening.

Harmony Café is also hosting a free Thanksgiving dinner for those who’ve been economically impacted by COVID-19, and anyone who needs a helping hand. They’ve partnered with a popular restaurant, Toast Coffeehouse, for the In Harmony Toast-Giving Event. This is their second Thanksgiving event at that restaurant, and it will feature live music. “Eating in a nice restaurant is something many people on budgets don’t get to do that often,” McCarthy says, “Our In Harmony Toast-Giving Event will give people that experience.”

Typically Harmony Café hosts approximately 70 guests for Thanksgiving, but this year they expect the number to rise. “The amount of food-insecure people has increased 50%, so there is a much greater need this year.”

Since April of 2016, Harmony Café has hosted meal events using a pay-what-you-can donation model. However, due to the pandemic, Harmony Café has redirected all its efforts towards emergency food service.

Harmony Café’s is committed to providing access to healthy food an environment that is free of judgment and stigma. The meal events are socially engaging, meant to bring the community together regardless of social status. “We believe all people should be together in the same place, eating good food, not separated because of social status and/or lack of funds,” McCarthy says, “All people deserve a place at the table.”