Our Daily Bread Community Center

Soup kitchens in America started around 1929 when the affects of a growing depression began to be felt. The need for soup kitchens was felt even more keenly when the tailspin in the economy worsened in 1932, and 12 million Americans — about 25 percent of the normal labor force — were out of work.

When soup kitchens first appeared, they were run by churches or private charities. By the mid-1930s, state and federal governments also were operating them. Soup kitchens served mostly soup and bread. Soup was economical because water could be added to serve more people, if necessary.

Every city and town had a soup kitchen. If a hungry person happened to be out in the country, he or she would have to travel to a nearby community to get a meal. Kitchens would either be run outdoors, in churches, cafeterias, or service centers.

Soup kitchens still exist for homeless persons and struggling families across America. Some organizations that had started with kitchens expanded their services.