Detroit SOUP is an internationally acclaimed community dinner that has helped crowd fund 57 projects, 48 nonprofits, and 27 for-profit enterprises.
The idea is simple. It’s a potluck where some folks bring food, and attendees throw in at least $5 to attend.
Then, there are four pitches by people for their ideas for improving their neighborhood, a non-profit, or a for-profit business that has a community benefit. The attendees then vote by secret ballot, and the winner gets the pool of money raised from the attendees.
“We’ve seen what Detroit SOUP can do for a community, not just in dollars raised, but in providing a community space for idea activation where neighbors support and invest in each other’s projects and feel empowered to create change in their communities,” said April Boyle, director, Build Institute. “Over the past seven years, SOUP has done so much for the community, and now we have the opportunity to offer more support to these community initiatives through the programs offered at Build Institute.”
According to BUILD, this is the ninth program that the BUILD Institute will be home to, and the third program that the Institute has adopted. They’re also home to Kiva – a funding source for small business — and Open City, the longest running networking program for Detroit entrepreneurs.
Detroit SOUP’s next get together will be on Sunday, October 15 and Sunday, November 19 at the Jam Handy, located at 2900 E. Grand Boulevard in New Center.
