A delicious way to help students
Thursday, October 23, 2025
photos by Rob Hinkal, social media specialist
Dining Services staff serve the soup – a welcome treat on a breezy fall day.
Dining Services’ eighth annual Soup for the Soul event, held on Thursday, raised $1,875 to help Penn College students and their families through The Cupboard, an on-campus food pantry for students who are experiencing food insecurity.
The tasty event featured a choice of one of two soups – chicken and dumpling or broccoli cheddar – a fresh-baked roll and dessert, hand-made bowls and mugs for the first 125 registrants – plus a few extra ceramic pieces available for purchase – all made by Gerald G. Kaplan, instructor of ceramics, and his students. Additional funds were raised through a raffle for a large vase, made and donated by Kaplan and valued at $1,200.
In 2024-25, The Cupboard served about 500 students, providing over 10,000 pounds of food.
The Cupboard is managed by Dining Services, but it is supported entirely through donations from the campus community, industry and community partners, and grant funding.
To further support The Cupboard, Dining Services is holding a non-perishable food drive in November. See the flyer for details:
