Soup for Bones: Get out the Vote!

Voting booth at Detroit Soup. Photo by Vanessa Miller

There seems to be a bit of a trend going on using soup to raise dollars — more specifically soup dinners that raise money for micro-grants for creative projects. I know of three in this area alone that all seem to work around the same model: $5 gets you soup and the opportunity to hear about some cool creative project proposals. You then cast your vote for one of the projects and the one with the most votes receives the proceeds from the event. Here's a little peak:

1. Detroit Soup

This one is held the first Sunday of every month in Mexicantown in Detroit. During dinner, attendees hear about a number of proposals for creative projects and then cast a vote. The dinner generally raises between $300-$500. Check 'em out on Facebook, too.

Next event: Sunday, November 7

Above Mexicantown Bakery: 4330 West Vernor Street, Detroit

Doors open at 7 p.m. with dinner at 8 p.m. 

Carrot-ginger soup with a citrus-beet reduction garnish at Soup at Spaulding

2. Soup at Spaulding

This one is a weekly dinner on Thursday nights, "raising seed money for cool projects happening throughout Corktown and Detroit." Each week, three projects are pitched and the proceeds are split between the one with the most votes and the Friends of Spaulding Court. But it continues beyond the dinner: A video of the winning presentation is posted on Kickstarter and they try to raise an equal amount of money there to what was brought in from the dinner. (If you're not familiar with Kickstarter, it is an amazing site that has introduced a new, creative and easy way for people and projects to fundraise. Check it out!) They have an active Facebook page and weekly event pages that includes info about the menu, upcoming proposals and more. 
Next event: Thursday, November 4

Spirit of Hope, 1519 MLK Jr Blvd (corner of MLK and Trumbull)
Dinner at 7 p.m., presentations at 8 p.m., voting at 8:30 p.m.

3. Soup Stock

Hosted by the Love Factory Collective, this one may be a bit less than monthly, but it is also a soup event where in return for a bowl of soup, you get to vote on creative project proposals. In the spring they helped fund a road trip by a pair of filmmakers from Ann Arbor to Alaska to Argentina. Find out how to submit your proposal here.
Next event: TBD date & location

So get out there and support your creative community — the soup's on!