Soup It Forward: Fresh Food, Real Recipes, and a Reason to Share
Soup it Forward provides an opportunity to create recipes with your friends and families, then share it with someone near or in need. The soup kit contains a monthly recipe featuring soups from around the world, a family cooking guide, non-perishable and locally grown ingredients and a container to
Soup it Forward!
1000+
Soup kits shared all across Texas!
17+ Years
Feeding families and teaching kids!
Chemical-Free
Grown by local youth and community!
Why We Started Soup It Forward
Promise of Peace Gardens spent years teaching earth-to-table to youth in East and West Dallas. It became apparent that the preparation of the ingredients was a challenge for our families and communities.
A group of youth interns on the farm suggested creating recipes that they could put as appetizers at home.
Soup it Forward was born!
"I wanted to develop something that created knowledge about food while they were preparing that food, that brought people together, and just put that good nutrition on the plate."
- Elizabeth Dry, Founder
How Soup It Forward Works
1. We Grow It
2. We Pack the Kit
3. Families Cook Together
4. They Soup It Forward
What's Inside Every Kit
Fresh Produce
Chemical-free vegetables, grown by local youth interns.
A Recipe
A new featured soup every month, simple enough for a weeknight.
Real Food
A rich, flavorful soup, filled with nutrition that leads to a vibrant life.
An Extra Container
So you can soup it forward to a neighbor in need.
One Pot at a Time, We're Changing How Families Eat
Families in our country are experiencing more and more food insecurity every year. In Texas, 1 in 5 children are food insecure. In the USA there are 6.7 million children who are food insecure.
Soup it Forward is a practical, sustainable solution.
Soups Recipes Worth Sharing
Every month features a new recipe from around the world. Here are two examples.
Caldo Verde
A Portuguese classic. Hearty greens, tender potato, and a savory broth that comes together in one pot.
Italian Tomato and Zucchini Soup
Delicious, fresh garden Zucchini paired with that classic Italian tomato base makes for a delightful soup.
See Soup It Forward in Action
Watch our families, our farm, and our students bring this program to life.
Video Coming Soon!
Testimonials From the Community
"I think everybody could use a little bit of food and love sometimes. I think that's mainly what this program is about." - Hunter Kessler, Mineola
Help Us Keep the Pot Full
It takes 25 dollars to send one soup kit home with a family. Here is what your gift does.
$25
Sends one soup kit home with a family: fresh ingredients, a recipe, a cooking guide, and a container to share.
$120
Feeds one family for a full season, a kit every month, all season long.
$300
Sponsors a family for two seasons and seed-to-soul cooking classes.
Get Involved with Soup It Forward
Want to support the program, sign up a family, volunteer, or share a recipe from your own kitchen? Send us a note and Elizabeth will be in touch. Prefer to talk? Call 214-240-9220.
1000+ Kits Shared - 17+ Years - Chemical-Free,
Locally Grown Goodness
Soup It Forward Questions
What is Soup It Forward in Mineola?
Soup It Forward is a food-sharing program from Promise of Peace Gardens. Each month, a family receives a soup kit with fresh, locally grown ingredients, a featured recipe, a family cooking guide, and a container to share a portion with a neighbor. It pairs real food with the skills to use it, and a reason to pass it on.
Who can receive a soup kit?
The program serves families across Mineola and Wood County, with a focus on households living in a food desert or below the poverty line. We coach a small group of families each season so every family gets real attention. To sign a family up, call Elizabeth at 214-240-9220 or use the form on this page.
How much does a soup kit cost a family?
Nothing. The kits are free to the families we serve. They are funded entirely by donations and community support, which is why your gift matters so much.
What is in a Soup It Forward kit?
Every kit includes fresh chemical-free produce grown by our youth interns, a featured soup recipe that changes monthly, a step-by-step family cooking guide, rich broth, and an extra container so the family can share a serving with someone nearby.
How do I sign up a family in Mineola or Wood County?
Reach out and we will walk you through it. Call Elizabeth at 214-240-9220 or fill out the form on this page and choose "Refer a family for soup kits." We serve families from Mineola to Quitman, Hawkins, and Lindale.
Where does Soup It Forward operate?
The program runs out of Sunshine Acres, our 14-acre farm in Mineola, and serves families across Wood County and East Texas. Elizabeth first built the program while working with families in West and East Dallas, then brought it home to Mineola.
How can I help or donate to Soup It Forward?
The simplest way to help is to donate, which keeps the kits full and free for families. About thirty dollars sends one kit home with a family. You can also volunteer at the farm, refer a family, or partner with us as a chef or sponsor. Tap any Donate Now button or call 214-240-9220.
Where does my donation go?
Every dollar stays local and goes straight into the program: fresh ingredients, recipes, cooking guides, share containers, and the seeds and supplies behind every harvest. Promise of Peace Gardens has served East Texas and the Dallas area for more than 16 years.
How is the food grown?
All produce is grown chemical-free by youth interns on our farm at Sunshine Acres in Mineola. Students handle every step, from preparing the soil to harvesting the vegetables that go into each kit.
Can I volunteer or share a recipe?
Yes, and we would love the help. Volunteers work side by side with our students on the farm, and home cooks are welcome to share a favorite soup recipe for a future kit. Use the form on this page or call Elizabeth at 214-240-9220.
Promise of Peace Gardens
Elizabeth Dry | 214-240-9220
Sunshine Acres Community Farm, Mineola, Texas
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