Lethbridge Soup Kitchen. (Lethbridge News Now)

By David Opinko

Two local companies donate combined $25,000 to Lethbridge Soup Kitchen

Nov 17, 2021 | 10:48 AM

LETHBRIDGE, AB – A pair of significant donations has ensured the stability of a local non-profit.

The Lethbridge Soup Kitchen announced Wednesday morning that they had received a $15,000 donation from Friesen Plastics and a $10,000 gift from Bridge City Chrysler.

Executive Director of the Lethbridge Soup Kitchen, Bill Ginther, says they were both made within about 12 hours of each other.

“I’m never surprised – I’m always amazed, but not surprised because we have a community that, when they’re aware of what the need is, they will step up and they step up in spades, always.”

Nighttime construction on Hwy 3 in Lethbridge starts April 17

Apr 17, 2025

SASHA launches #BuyABed fundraiser to support vulnerable Lethbridge residents

Apr 04, 2025

$20K grants available: TELUS STORYHIVE Pan-Asian Edition opens applications April 1

Mar 18, 2025

These donations came in at a great time for the Soup Kitchen, which had been in a “dire need” of donations for some time now.

Ginther explains that, with the COVID-19 pandemic hampering their ability to host fundraising events and fewer funding streams being available, they had only been receiving about half of what they normally would.

“Back at the end of October, our accounts had been depleted. We do have a little bit in reserves, but those are invested in the bank, and not a lot, but a little bit. We had kind of depleted what we had set aside, hoping we could weather the COVID storm, but the COVID storm is lasting a lot longer than anyone had thought.”

In addition to volunteers, the Soup Kitchen employs 11 people on a part-time basis. Prior to receiving these donations, Ginther had issued layoff notices to some of his staff.

Now, however, all of the group’s employees are safe.

“We are serving upwards of 150 meals, not every meal but especially evening meals, and if we were unable to do this, I’m just really not sure what would happen to all of those who have come to depend on us. I’m really happy for them, happy for our staff, of course, but also very happy for our guests that we can continue to serve them.”

With the short-term operations of the food back once again being in a stable place, they are able to focus on the long-term.

Late last year, the Mustard Seed and the Lethbridge Soup Kitchen announced plans to merge in an effort to help more vulnerable peoples in more ways. In March of this year, however, the Mustard Seed left Lethbridge due to city council denying both of their facility rezoning requests.

READ MORE: Partnership announced between The Mustard Seed and Lethbridge Soup Kitchen

READ MORE: Mustard Seed leaving Lethbridge after sober shelter denied

Ginther hopes to be able to get those plans back in motion.