Lively chatter and the smell of warm soup paired with fresh sourdough drifted out of a packed photography studio as Souper Simple held a dinner Thursday.
Since March, Souper Simple, a community organization that seeks to create a gathering space for the community, has hosted a series of monthly soup dinners to benefit local nonprofits. Thursday’s event, held in honor of Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, raised money for a local nonprofit supporting Evanston’s Asian American community.
“We saw a gap in the community for a simple gathering,” Claire Seizovic, a co-founder of Souper Simple, said. “We noticed there’s a lot of events happening, but nothing was truly community focused.”
While entry was free for the public, a $25 suggested donation to Evanston Asian, South Asian, Pacific Islander American was promoted on social media posts and an entry sign.
Melissa Raman Molitor, Evanston ASPA’s founding director, said the event aligned with the organization’s goals.
“So much of what we do with our organization is about bringing people together and building community,” Molitoo said. “Anytime that we can bring people together, especially these days, is really important.”
The dinner was hosted in a photography studio at the Noyes Cultural Arts Center, where Souper Simple offered Thai coconut mushroom soup, asparagus soup with parmesan croutons and gazpacho soup.
Button Bakery, located on Main Street, offered a variety of breads.
Evanston resident Munmun Shrestha, who recently moved into the community, discovered the event through an Instagram post while looking for ways to meet people.
“I just found it interesting, the idea of getting the community together,” Shrestha said.
Residents could also help themselves to sweet treats provided by Lindsey’s Ice Cream and Kinsco Cafe, which was founded by McCormick senior Tidapa Thampeera.
Thampeera brought Kinsco’s mango sticky rice cookies and Earl Grey sesame cookies to the event for dessert.
Organizers hope the event will start again in September after taking the summer months off.
“It’s not like this lofty thing, but it’s a way to make a difference locally, and then hopefully that radiates outward,” Seizovic said.
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