Sisters of St. Francis Put the Soup On

As their 92nd Christmas approaches, the Sisters of St. Francis of the Providence of God in Whitehall are preparing for their popular monthly soup take-out fundraiser.

For the past five years, 24 premade, ready-to-eat soups have been sold on a monthly rotation.

Wedding soup, the sisters’ most popular monthly staple, is available along with two other kinds of soups; haluski, which is cabbage and noodles, is offered only on Ash Wednesdays and in October.

Doug Brannock, Sisters of St. Francis chef and food service director, makes 500 quarts of soup per month on average. They sell the most in late fall and early winter, he said.

Sales have been increasing, Brannock said.

“Last year, the soup sales raised over $25,000 for the sisters’ ministries and outreach efforts, as well as the care of our senior and infirm sisters,” he said. Eighteen sisters live in the motherhouse, and proceeds from the sales benefit them and their ministries.

Robyn Moeller, developmental assistant, said the community fundraiser started in 2009 as a Christmas lasagna sale, followed by an Easter haluski sale.

“Soup was offered twice a year, and then every other month as sales grew,” Moeller said. “The decision to offer soups year-round was made in February 2009. The fundraiser became an extension of the ministry and helps keep the sisters connected with the community.”