BEDS Plus Soup & Bread event to raise money to assist the homeless

By Steve Metsch

One way to warm up on a cold winter’s day is with a bowl of soup.

And on Sunday, soup lovers can sample 20 different soups and also get the warm feeling received by helping a local charitable organization.

BEDS Plus, which helps the homeless through the southwest suburbs, is bringing back its popular Soup & Bread Event after a two-year hiatus caused by the pandemic. BEDS Plus helps vulnerable clients stabilize their lives by providing shelter, housing and supportive services.

BEDS Plus Community Relations Manager Erin Molek said the goal is to raise $50,000 to $60,000.

“This focuses on our emergency services for people who find themselves homeless. It goes into our shelter programs and our outreach programs and transitional housing program,” Molek said

Soup & Bread 2023 will be held from 3 to 7 p.m. on Sunday, Feb. 5, at the Holiday Inn Banquet Center, 6201 Joliet Road, Countryside.

Twenty restaurants are supplying a wide variety of soups, Molek said.

Some of the soups featured include butternut squash courtesy of The Elm in La Grange; cream of jalepeno from Mary’s Morning Mix-up in Brookfield; dumpling soup from The Works Bar and Restaurant in Summit; and beef vegetable soup from The Stadium Club in McCook.

“Jameson’s is bringing us lobster bisque. Two new vendors this year are Jen’s Guesthouse (in Willow Springs) and Buck’s Pit Stop (in Hodgkins). Bucks is bringing an incredible potato soup. Jen’s is bringing cream of chicken rice,” Molek said. “We have a wide range of soups and local restaurants.”

Other businesses supplying soups include cream of poblano pepper from The Black Oak Restaurant & Tavern, vegan tortilla from Beatrix Restaurant, pasta fagioli from Capri Ristorante Italiano, chicken noodle from Country House, corned beef & cabbage from Irish Times Pub & Restaurant in Brookfield, tomato coriander from Kama Bistro, broccoli cheddar from Ledo’s Pizza, minestrone from Monk’s, tomato bisque from Posto 31, carrot from Steak + Vine, Italian wedding from Vito & Nicks II Hickory Hills, cream of mushroom from Prasino, chili from Good Shepherd Soup Kitchen.

BEDS Plus Development Manager Molly Price said: “I just love that we’ve had such an outpouring from restaurants in our service territory, which is all of southwest suburban Cook County.”

She noted the location, just west of La Grange Road and north of the Stevenson Expressway, is easy to get to.

Tickets are $25 per person. Children age 12 and younger are admitted free. You can buy tickets at the door on Sunday.

Molek is hoping for an encore of the 2020 event when about 600 people attended.

“Ticket sales are robust right now. People are excited to come back,” Molek said. “It’s best to get them ahead of time.”

And it’s not just soup and bread.

There will be raffles for a trip to Las Vegas, a ski vacation, cultured pearls and a sports package.

Other bucket/family raffles and spin the wheel prizes include a salon day, taste of Soup & Bread certificate package, Galloping Ghost passes, Massage Envy package, Just Escape the Room package, Jayne Private Shopping Party, Whisper Me Home Private Shopping Party, staycation packages, family experiences and more.

Entertainment will include live music from The First Congo All-in-Band and Blue Lexi; Honee Brown, an acoustic guitar player, vocalist, and songwriter; and The Crows of Furey, an acoustic duo.

“The premise behind this is to have a relaxed atmosphere. It’s very casual. Break bread with friends, enjoy soup and the work that we do,” Molek said.

Alcoholic drinks are not included in the ticket price, and will cost $5 each.

Donated beers are by BuckleDown Brewing, Hop District Brewing, Cooper’s Hawk Winery, Pilot Project Brewery Incubator, Half Acre Beer Company, Tischler’s Original Lager and First Forest Brewing.

Cooper’s Hawk is donating wine.

Rolls are donated by S. Rosen’s Bakery Company in Chicago.

To learn more about the event and to buy tickets early, visit www.beds-plus.org.

Carol McGowan contributed to this report