Everything starts with community. We collaborate with local nonprofits, like Food Stash Foundation, who provide us with surplus ingredients on a weekly basis that would otherwise go to waste. From there, our team plans how to make the most of what we’ve got, turning donated ingredients into well-balanced, satisfying meals. These partnerships are the foundation of everything we do.

Our work goes beyond food, it’s also about people. Through outreach to clubs, networks, and student groups, we bring in volunteers who help with everything from fundraising to meal prep. Every person who joins us brings something valuable to the table, and their energy keeps us going. They’re not just volunteers, they’re the reason this works.

All ingredients are handled and prepared in line with certified FOODSAFE practices. Every member of our team holds Food Safe certification, ensuring a high standard of safety and hygiene. We prepare our meals in the commissary kitchen at The Door is Open in the Downtown Eastside, where volunteers are organized into small teams with clear, step-by-step tasks for their part in the process. With careful planning and coordination, we stay efficient, reduce waste, and make the most of every ingredient, so we can produce as many high-quality meals as possible.

For every soup we make, we follow a two-step cooling process before portioning it into individual BPA-free, food-grade containers and placing it in the freezer. Once fully frozen, each soup block is vacuum sealed, labeled with ingredients and nutritional information, and returned to the freezer for safe storage. During transport or donation, the meals are placed into insulated cooler boxes to maintain proper temperature control. All meals are delivered to freezers for short-term storage until they’re ready for distribution.