Customers pick out a handmade bowl to take home during the Soup Bowl fundraising event for Habitat for Humanity of Johnson County in 2022.
DAILY JOURNAL FILE PHOTO
The soup is on, and something good is cooking.
Good for the community, that is.
For the cost of a bowl of soup, people can help support the dreams of area families looking to move into their first home.
Habitat for Humanity of Johnson County once again is inviting the public to cozy up with a diverse slate of soups from local chefs and restaurants, bringing back some longtime favorites to go with new participants from the culinary community.
Hundreds of handmade bowls, created by artists all over the region, give attendees a unique souvenir to take home — an aspect of the event that has become one of the Soup Bowl’s biggest draws.
“When I stand there and see the line outside the door, people getting excited about coming in and getting excited about their bowls, it makes your heart happy to know the community rallies around you,” said Lee Ann Wilbur, executive director of Habitat for Humanity of Johnson County. “Not only do they support Habitat for Humanity, but they enjoy each other’s company and they get to take home a pretty bowl.”
The Soup Bowl has become Habitat for Humanity of Johnson County’s most important annual fundraiser, Wilbur said. Ticket sales and donations help generate more than $20,000 in its best years, money that goes directly back into the organizations core mission.
“This goes in the general pot to help us keep running and maintain the mission — putting it wherever it’s needed,” Wilbur said.
Habitat for Humanity of Johnson County is part of a national nonprofit partnering with area families to provide them with an affordable home. The organization spends about two months building the houses. The new owners receive a 20-year, interest-free mortgage for the house.
New owners are also asked to put down $700 to help cover closing costs. The homeowner is responsible for monthly mortgage payments once the home is finished.
Families also take financial classes and pay “sweat equity” — 300 hours of volunteer labor on their home and other Habitat and community projects. Builds bring together volunteers from local businesses, churches, civic organizations and schools to help physically construct the house.
In the fall, the Johnson County chapter hopes to start on its 25th home for local families.
But their mission is facing more and more challenges, though, Wilbur said.
“Everything is so much more expensive since COVID, and it didn’t correct,” she said. “So we have to come up with new ways to sustain the mission, to help with house builds. Land is crazy; we used to get land donated, now we have to buy it. It’s so expensive.”
That’s where the Soup Bowl comes in. The event was designed as a one-time fundraiser created by a group from Leadership Johnson County, a program that trains local leaders and asks each class to create a project benefiting the community.
The inaugural event was so popular Habitat for Humanity officials organized it again the following year. Soup Bowl has been going strong ever since.
The concept was inspired by a similar fundraiser in Bloomington. But Johnson County’s version has evolved into its own one-of-a-kind event, particularly through the support of the local arts community.
Organizers work closely with artists from all over the region to get unique pieces to serve the soup in. The opportunity to pick out their own artwork to go with their soup is one of the most exciting aspects of the event.
“I hear people around Soup Bowl all the time saying they have some of the prettiest bowls from here, that they use their bowls all the time,” Wilbur said.
Admission to the Soup Bowl is $25, including the handmade bowl, soup, bread, dessert and a drink. People can buy tickets in advance at the ReStore, located at 6720 N. U.S. 31, Whiteland, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday and noon to 4 p.m. Saturday. People can also get tickets at the door.
As an added fundraiser, Habitat for Humanity will be hosting a silent auction for donated pottery from 4 to 6 p.m.
IF YOU GO
Soup Bowl
What: An annual fundraiser for Habitat for Humanity of Johnson County.
When: 4-6:30 p.m. Feb. 25
Where: Scott Hall, Johnson County fairgrounds, 250 Fairground St., Franklin
What’s included: Artist-designed soup bowl, soup, dessert/bread and drink.
Tickets: $25, can be purchased the day of the event or in advance at ReStore, 6720 N. US 31, Whiteland, from 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Friday or noon-4 p.m. Saturday.
