With rents in Clark County rising much faster than incomes, leaders of the nonprofit organization Share say there is more demand than ever for its programs to help the homeless and hungry.
So they were delighted when more than 800 supporters turned out for Sunday’s Soup’s On fundraiser at the Hilton Vancouver Washington.
Amy Reynolds, Share’s deputy director, said Share is receiving 40 percent more calls for assistance this year. The new calls are coming from people who always had enough to get by. But this year, a rent increase of $300 or $400 per month is forcing them to contemplate leaving their home and living in their car or on the streets.
But donations and volunteers are helping to meet the demand, and Sunday evening’s fundraiser was part of that, complete with a pirate theme and piratical entertainment courtesy of Opera Quest Northwest.
Celebrity chefs prepared soup and served it to the audience, which had the chance to try a small sample of each soup and select a favorite.
Troy Lucio, the Hilton’s executive chef, won the Golden Ladle Award for the audience’s favorite, Turkey Pot Pie Soup. Tanner Poncik of the new WareHouse ’23 won the Chef’s Choice Award, and Michael Borges of Mill Creek Pub in Battle Ground took the Presenting Sponsor’s Award from Davidson & Associates Insurance.
Other chefs were Chris Monek, Beaches; Lou Brancaccio, The Columbian; Bonnie Brasure, Bleu Door Bakery; Marian Adams and Dannie Manuel, Frontier Public House; Carl Henderson III, The Grant House; Josh Simpson and Alex Collins, Herb n’ Roots; Jodell Hinojosa, Jo Foody’s; Brandan Carman, Legacy Salmon Creek Medical Center; Nick Humbert, New Seasons Market; and Tammy Leibfarth, Simply Thyme.
In a video presentation about each of the chefs, Carman said he was proud to participate in Sunday’s event because he remembers eating at Share House occasionally when there was no food at home.
Another purpose of Sunday’s event was to honor Share’s volunteers. Craig Lane, who helps Share with all of its computers and software, received the Emily Marshall Volunteer of the Year Award. Other volunteers honored were Tyler Close, Kathy Hatch, Cynthia Olivier and Ann Marie Piller. Share’s board chair, Peter Fels, also was thanked for his service. He is serving a third three-year term.
In all, 830 members of the public and 60 Share volunteers ate soup Sunday.
“This was the biggest event in Share history” in terms of attendance, said Kim Hash, director of development and communications. Though it was too early to know how much the event will net, the cash donations exceeded the $25,000 goal.
Share’s other major fundraiser is an annual gala held each April.
