SOUP

Kaherl does crowdfunding with a LemonadeMaker twist.

SOUP delivers soup, salad, and bread and you get to hear 4 pitches from people or groups who are trying to bring positive change to the city of Detroit. Each presenter has four minutes for their presentation and at the end of dinner, everyone votes on the best one. The winner takes home a microgrant, which is the take for the price each person who attends pays for dinner.

In the past five years 800 ideas have been presented and the micorgrant usually run between $700 – $1,000.

One college student designed winter coats that could double as sleeping bags for the homeless (which we talked about a month or two ago). Another group employed women living in shelters to make jewelry from chipped graffiti paint. They have financed mechanic classes, a local travel guide and a documentary film. They granted a mircogrant to D.A.N.C.E. a company who offers affordable dance lessons for the city’s underserved youth.

What a great idea that could be easily duplicated in every city in the nation. You enroll local business leaders to come together one night a month to support those local LemonadeMakers who are designing programs that provide jobs to the homeless, who enroll the youth into positive up-building programs like dance. You help existing programs expand to be more successful. You make your city/town a better place to live. Improving the world, one bowl of soup at a time!

Read more: http://nationswell.com/amy-kaherl-detroit-soup-community-renewal/#ixzz3nxEPmxk8