Montrealers Making A Difference With Food Donations

“It has become a very meaningful part of my Sunday morning routine,” she said.

“When my kids were young they would always ask me how I managed to make the things I baked for them taste so good. I used to tell them I added a special ingredient: love. I always include a special kind of love in these goods; one that is full of appreciation, gratitude and admiration for all that these frontliners are so selflessly doing.”

“It’s directed at people I don’t necessarily know, from someone they don’t necessarily know, just for the sake of saying thank you and hopefully putting a smile on their face, amidst their long and trying days. To me that is the most powerful kind of chesed, and I am truly grateful to have been gifted the opportunity provided by our organized Jewish community to give back, along with 70-plus other dedicated women, in this way.”

Souper Hero

For family physician Dr. Michael Kalin, his wife Aviva Orenstein Kalin and their children Hannah, Lev, Rachel, Avi, Tali and Eytan, Souper Hero is truly a family affair. The Kalins launched their non-profit to provide healthcare workers with a container of frozen soup to take home at the end of their shifts.

The couple has firsthand insights into the effects of the pandemic on healthcare personnel. Michael is the Medical Director of Montreal’s GMF Santé Kildare and Aviva is CEO of Santé Kildare Rejuvenex, a medical aesthetics clinic.

“We have found that many staff leave work physically and emotionally drained,” reads their Facebook page. “Many return home exhausted, and need to prepare dinner for their family, or others get home to an empty apartment with no desire to cook. The goal is to help ease the burden of cooking, ensure that our healthcare workers have a nutritious meal and make them feel appreciated for the heroes that they are!” 

To date, Souper Hero has donated more than 1,300 containers of frozen soup to hospitals and clinics throughout Montreal.