• Audience members pay a $5 entry contribution at the door of Pasco SOUP.
• The dinners are usually a light, consisting of soup and bread. Local sponsors may contribute food and refreshments.
• Three to four pre-selected proposals working on projects that benefit Pasco (anything from filling a pothole to starting a business) make a 4-minute presentation.
• After each presentation, we’ll schedule time for Q&A with the audience.
• Over a soup dinner, attendees cast their vote for the project they want to help fund.
• The project with the most votes goes home with all of the money raised from the evening.
• Winners come back to a future Pasco SOUP event to tell the audience how their project went, how they used the money and what impact the project had on the community.

To keep art and creativity active in the dinners, local artists are invited to share their work while people enjoy their dinner.

Pasco SOUP has only two rules:

• Projects must benefit the City and People of Pasco.
• Presenters can’t use technology in their presentations. (Powerpoint, etc.)

We try to be flexible and try new things, even if that means we make (and learn from) mistakes along the way.  Pasco SOUP is fun, creative and an unusual way for people to engage with others in the community.  We try not to overthink it.

Goals and values

The goal of Pasco SOUP is to offer safe spaces for people to gather and share a meal.  Pasco SOUP strives to encourage conversation, relationship building and resource sharing while supporting creative community projects in Pasco.  We value democracy, community, collaboration, creativity and action.

Total support raised to date: $2,325!

Third Pasco SOUP: November 2nd, 2017

Location: Pasco Armory

Winner: Mindful Art – A project to provide various paint parties for kids, youth, adults to encourage reflection and self expression.  The goal is to have events at various places throughout the Pasco community and to make it available to everyone. ($738 raised)

Runners Up:

Pasco Community Bike Shop – A project to create a community bike shop with a focus on the Tierra Vida neighborhood.

The Reading Corner/Mobile – An initiative to renovate a step van (food truck) into a mobile library.  The mission is to put a free book in the hands of every child under the age of 5 in East Pasco.

Tri-Cities Dream Center – To create a network of supporting initiatives for the Pasco community including Operation Red Eye Homeless Ministry, Crossroads Leadership Development, Adopt-A-Block, and a project called Soul Sisters.

Second Pasco SOUP: February 23rd, 2017

Location: La Michoacana Salon

Winner:  Somos Designs – A project teaching teenagers entrepreneurship skills by designing custom t-shirts and selling them within the local business community. All proceeds will be reinvested into new materials and designs. ($820 raised)

Runners up:

SOMOS Eastside Helpers – An afterschool program to be based at Virgie Robinson Elementary School consisting of physical activities, craft making, healthy snacks and bilingual tutoring for homework help.

Beautifying Downtown Pasco – A student art club aims to design and paint community murals in Downtown Pasco to compliment architecture and celebrate diversity. The art club will invite elementary students to participate in the project.

First Pasco SOUP:  September 29, 2016

Location: Don Antonio’s Restaurant

Winner: Chiawana High School Lacrosse Club ($767 raised)

Runners Up:

Nuestra Noche (Our Night) – A community movie night featuring Spanish-language films.

LGBT Youth Catalyst Leadership – A youth leadership program providing mentors and community support.

Somos Pasco – A digital platform for social commentary and promoting events particularly in Downtown Pasco.