Halal Soup Kitchen in Chicago
At the moment Manzar Health does not have a physical soup kitchen location: however, that is NOT going to stop us from delivering real world impact. We can begin by partnering with a local facility to prepare meals at, and then transport to our distribution team where packaged nutritious meals will be handed around communities across Chicago. Ultimately, the goal is to purchase a property that we can re-purpose to serve as our permanent Halal Soup Kitchen location. We have already begun accepting donations for this step. Please help support the cause by donating here.
Our plan is to re-purpose a property to a multi-functional location that can be utilized as a Halal soup kitchen, food pantry storage, distribution center, prayer hall, and office use.
Project Timeline & Next Steps
Step 1: Get incorporated as a nonprofit – Manzar Health Alliance & Research is a registered Not-For-Profit (NFP) organization with the State of Illinois.
Step 2: Get grants – Once our Halal soup kitchen is established, we will start writing our grant proposal. There are all kinds of grants and funding available from different foundations, state and federal governments for nonprofits. We are on the lookout for such opportunities.
Step 3: Get donations – This is where the community needs to pitch in. We are asking neighbors, friends, family, schools, local businesses and organizations to donate excess food or be a sponsor for our soup kitchen project. Every little bit helps.
Step 4: Get community volunteers – With unity, there is strength. We kindly request our neighbors and local groups to help by asking them to volunteer at the soup kitchen. Lots of people are hungry, so there’s no such thing as too many volunteers.
Step 5: Get a place – Religious institutions—mosques, churches, synagogues, temples, etc.—civic centers and community centers are ideal places to have soup kitchens because they usually hold a lot of people and are centrally located and easy to find. A soup kitchen that reaches the most people should be located where low-income and homeless people can reach easily.
Step 6: Get groceries for the soup kitchen – One thing a successful soup kitchen can never buy enough of is food—but where do you get it for affordable prices? This is where the community really has to pitch in. Manzar Health will be asking local businesses, restaurants and grocery stores to donate food or give our soup kitchen a discount. People like to help out good causes. We are hopeful that the community will step up and help us help the people of Chicago.
Step 7: Get the right foods – proper nutrition and a balanced healthy meal plan is a high priority for our Halal soup kitchen project.
Step 8: Get the word out – Send a press release to the local papers, radio and television stations, run an ad or article in a community or local school newsletter, and announce your soup kitchen’s presence in the neighborhood. Inform everyone of the need for the soup kitchen; create public awareness. This will help get donations for your soup kitchen.
Step 9: Get collaborating – There’s no need to reinvent the wheel. Other local organizations and nonprofit agencies probably help the homeless, too. Contact the directors of these agencies and ask if they would be interested in helping out.
Our goal is to provide warm meals to people residing in the city of Chicago. We are hopeful to launch our project on December 10th of 2022 and continue throughout the winter season until March 10th of 2023. We aim to provide meals every month during these three months. We shall begin with 1 event each month, God willing.
Our goal for year 2 and 3 is to continue fundraising to reach our goal of $350k for the Halal soup kitchen project. Funds will be used to purchase and renovate the property, cover project expenses (e.g., utility, food, staff, etc.), and still have funds in savings in case of emergency use (e.g., maintenance and repair costs).
Manzar Health is aiming to sponsor warm meals 2 days, every month throughout the winter season.
Manzar Health is aiming to sponsor warm meals 2 days, every month throughout the winter and spring seasons.
Manzar Health aims to launch its first physical location for the Halal soup kitchen project in the heart of Chicago. We will continue to fundraise and partner with local community-focused organizations. The goal is to serve warm meals 1 day every week throughout the year, God willing.
Help Us Help Chicago
Here is our budget plan for the project, and how much we aim to fundraise for each part of the project for the next 4 years.
Our estimate fundraise goal of $350k is to purchase ($250k) and renovate ($50k) the property. We are planning to hold $50k in funds every year that will cover emergency maintenance and repair costs ($6k), utility and bills ($22k), office supplies ($2k), and part-time seasonal staff ($20k).
4 year total is $500k.
We are estimating that each event will cost approximately $500 – $750/per event for food & supplies.
Winter ’22: For 3 events = $1,500 – $2,250
Winter ’23: For 6 events = $3,000 – $4,500
Winter ’24/Spring ’25: For 14 events = $7,000 – $10,500
Year 4: For 51 events = $25,500 – $38,250
4 year total is $55.5k.
We are estimating that each event will cost approximately $25/per event for transport.
Winter ’22: For 3 events = $75
Winter ’23: For 6 events = $150
Winter ’24/Spring ’25: For 14 events = $350
Year 4: For 51 events = $1,275
4 year total is $1,850.
Research & Development
We will collect research data to produce an impact report regarding this intervention. We will also develop guidance products for community-focused organizations interested in partnering with Manzar Health on this project. We aim to build a replicable model so that communities beyond the Chicago-land area may also benefit from a local Halal Soup Kitchen establishment.