Portland Neighbors Warm Bellies and Oppose ICE with Soup Night

Candid documentary photography from Soup Night at Che in Portland, Oregon. Two people are engaged in deep conversation over a shared meal at a long wooden communal table during a hunger relief fundraiser.

One of the best parts of living in Portland is the way people come together and provide for each other. That’s the real basis for lasting safety: knowing that the community has your back.

Human Centric Media’s friend and colleague, Jessica at the Center for Women’s Leadership, first alerted us to Soup Night, a new event series produced by the delicious union of Chef Jami Cakes, Kitchen Table Magazine, Hungry Heart Bakery and the Northeast Portland event venue Che;.

Together they deployed a winning recipe: local farmers provided fresh produce, Jami made two delicious soups (minestrone and cream of cauliflower), and guests were invited to dine together, with all the proceeds and excess soup being distributed throughout the community by the nonprofit Growing Gardens.

La Porteña also provided delicious chimichurri to put on top, and brought cookies for dessert.

There may be plenty of work left to do but all year I’ve seen glimpses of what this city can be in nights like this: warm-hearted people coming together with curiosity and mutual interest, creating a support system that didn’t exist before.

We broke bread, got to know each other and talked about our shared values, namely that ICE has no place in our community and that their organized terrorism is cruel and unamerican.

This wave will pass and our city will emerge stronger because no matter how much damage they cause, they cannot take away our compassion or our values.

I’m so glad that Human Centric Media got to document these gorgeous moments, shared between colleagues and neighbors, their bellies and hearts both full and glowing.

In the Future, No One Goes Hungry 🍲

Che;

December 16, 2025

$1800

Events

Two guests smiling for a portrait while sharing a meal at a communal table during Soup Night at Che, a community fundraiser in Northeast Portland.

A friendly portrait of a volunteer in a plaid shirt and 'REVEL' baseball cap smiling at the camera while working behind the bar during the Soup Night fundraiser at Che.

A volunteer with braided hair and a blue illustrated apron smiles while grating fresh cheese over a bowl of hearty vegetable soup in the kitchen at Che during a community fundraiser.

Close-up of a volunteer’s tattooed hands carefully garnishing bowls of creamy soup with roasted vegetables and pesto during the Soup Night fundraiser at Che.

A warm, candid scene from Soup Night at Che in Portland. A man in a red flannel shirt stands and speaks to guests seated at a wooden communal table under soft, glowing pendant lights.

A close-up view of a cardboard box filled with several stacks of thick, golden-brown chocolate chip cookies prepared for the Soup Night community fundraiser.

A wide-angle interior view of Che during the Soup Night fundraiser. Guests of all ages, including families with young children, are seated at long wooden tables, enjoying soup and conversation in a warmly lit, communal atmosphere.

A guest in a leather jacket holds a glass of wine while thoughtfully reading informational pamphlets about local hunger relief causes and SNAP benefits during Soup Night at Che in Portland.

A warm, candid portrait of a smiling volunteer bartender with curly dark hair standing behind the bar at Che during the Soup Night community fundraiser in Portland.

A close-up of various loaves of sliced artisan bread and rolls arranged on a wooden cutting board for a community dinner.

Candid documentary photography of two kitchen volunteers laughing together at Che during Soup Night, a community fundraiser in Northeast Portland.

A close-up of a volunteer in a blue apron serving a bowl of hearty vegetable soup from a large stockpot during a community fundraiser at Che in Portland, Oregon.

Candid documentary photography of two volunteers laughing together in the kitchen at Che during Soup Night, a community fundraiser in Northeast Portland.

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