Streamlining Soup Kitchen Operations

Holy Apostles Soup Kitchen (HASK), a nonprofit organization founded by The Church of the Holy Apostles, has become the largest emergency feeding program in New York State since its founding in 1982. HASK enlisted a Capstone team to recommend strategies for reducing waste based on guest preferences and menu planning, increasing community outreach services, and implementing a database system to streamline organizational operations. The team conducted an environmental scan of soup kitchens and food industry professionals to establish best practices within the industry and conducted surveys to identify guest preferences for food offerings and community outreach services. Utilizing the survey data, the team provided HASK with recommended strategies for achieving food waste reduction, establishing a soup kitchen-based educational initiative about healthy food choices, and instituting a tracking system using soup kitchen data to streamline efficiency.