A Message from our Founder | April 2024

Written by La Soupe’s Founder, Suzy DeYoung

The month of April certainly brought the showers, and we are just landing in May so hopefully the “brings May flowers” holds true. 

La Soupe certainly has been very busy the last two months, which is normally a quiet time for food service operations. We celebrated the ribbon cutting and grand opening of our new basement facility last month and have certainly hit our stride this month with some operational changes. Our hard-working dock workers are loving more space, not relying on the loading dock for all deliveries and their own office area! Streamlining the receiving and distribution was one goal and I would say we have accomplished that and more! We are already seeing more rescued food being transformed and getting distributed back into the community. Our team is very grateful for all the extra refrigeration and freezer space for more rescued products. 

La Soupe added a new event to our calendar this year. Traditionally, we have always hosted our Fall Fundraiser. This year we added our very first Spring FRIENDraiser! Ladles NOT Landfills combined two big April recognition days, Volunteer Appreciation and Earth Day into one gigantic, family-friendly event hosted at Madtree Brewing and supported by Fifth Third Bank, Cardinal Pacelli Class of ‘72 and Kroger . We were joined by community partners from The Civic Garden Center, Cincinnati Zoo, Gorman Heritage Farm, Design Lab, Hamilton County Resource Center, Cincinnati Museum Center, and our very own Education team with a kid-friendly “make your own salsa station” that was a massive hit.

We had over 150 volunteers come celebrate with us. I was grateful to meet so many of our drivers who I do not have the opportunity to get to know like I do our kitchen volunteers. As I began to speak, I got very emotional as I looked into a room full of faces that have turned my dream into a reality. It hit me like a smack in the face and I froze, speechless for the FIRST time in my life. This ten-year dream I had and followed was now being celebrated by hundreds of new friends as well as my dearest oldest friends. The Class of 1972 from Cardinal Pacelli Elementary and some of my oldest, greatest friends contributed to surpass being a Champion sponsor. Wow, talk about a humbling moment. To everyone who came out, THANK YOU! It was an honor and privilege to cook for YOU, celebrate YOU and be in a room full of like-minded dreamers!

A few personal highlights of this month. After over 15 hours of foraging for morels, I hit Nirvana and found my first patch on my own. The feeling is indescribable, like finding your first Easter egg all over again. Although I am admittedly disappointed when I return home with an empty bag, I am also grateful for any alone time spent in the woods, discovering new trails in new parks. The meal I prepared was absolutely divine, if I do say so myself.

I also ventured up the highway to Columbus with sister Michele and niece Lizzie Vollman to see our umpteenth Springsteen show. Yes, I am a diehard fan that will go to as many shows as I can to see the greatest live show performed (sorry Swifties)! At 74 years young, he out sang and danced us all. The memories of the show will carry me for a longtime, as he has absolutely written the song track of my life and continues to do so. 

I end this month’s newsletter with a poem by Ralph Marston entitled It Pays to Care. I attended a beautiful Celebration of Life for my dear friend, Ken Pendery this month. Ken and his wife Jen are lifelong friends. Ken was the Founder of both The First Watch and National Exemplar as well as my mentor since I opened the National Exemplar with him over 40 years ago. His daughter read this poem as it truly is a testimonial of how Ken lived his life. I read it to the volunteers at our Appreciation event but wanted to share again so those that could not be with us can read it. It summarizes how all of you are living your life with us at La Soupe, because YOU CARE!

It Pays to Care by Ralph Marston

It pays to care about life, about others, about meaning. It pays to care about time and effectiveness and achievement.

It pays to care about truth. It pays to care about what’s good, and what contributes to life.

To the extent you care, you get involved and make a difference. When you care, that caring drives your priorities, your actions, your results.

Caring is more than just feeling or saying you care. To care means to act on what you care about.

Do that, and life resounds with purpose. Do that, and fulfillment, deep satisfaction, and enrichment all come your way.

Go to the trouble, make the commitment, to care, in matters small and large. It’s an essential part of how life is well lived.