Souper Sunday Fundraiser Funds Northeast Arkansas Homes
Local restaurants and sponsors gain regional visibility while proceeds support new Habitat homes.
Updated on Nov. 2, 2026 in Philanthropy
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Habitat for Humanity of Northeast Arkansas hosted its 16th annual Souper Sunday fundraiser at the Red Wolf Convention Center in Jonesboro, where local restaurants offered soups and ticket holders tasted 15 of them before voting for a favorite. Proceeds could fund a new Habitat Family home in Paragould.
Why it matters
Community fundraisers like this one fund the nonprofit's home-building work, which relies on ticket sales, sponsorships, and auction revenue rather than sales alone. For local restaurant operators, participation is a low-cost way to reach the regional customers who attend.
The 16th annual Souper Sunday featured 15 soups, which ticket holders sampled before voting. The extraction does not report total proceeds, attendance, or the prior-year comparison needed to measure growth.
The players
Habitat for Humanity of Northeast Arkansas
A regional affiliate of the national Habitat for Humanity nonprofit that builds homes for low-income families and sells them with interest-free, 30-year loans.
Red Wolf Convention Center
The Jonesboro venue that hosted the event, operated as a regional convention facility serving northeast Arkansas businesses and organizations.
Hijinx
A local sponsor that funded this year's kids' zone at the Souper Sunday event.
The details
Ticket holders tasted soups from local restaurants and voted for their favorite, with the winner receiving the ladle award. This year's event added a silent auction and a kids' zone sponsored by Hijinx, two additions that broaden the revenue sources beyond the tasting itself. Proceeds go toward building new homes for Habitat families, and the nonprofit says it aims to serve all of Northeast Arkansas.
Timeline
Souper Sunday was held on November 1, 2026, at the Red Wolf Convention Center in Jonesboro.
Market Landscape
Habitat for Humanity affiliates rely on a mix of local events, sponsorships, and donations to finance home construction. This year's added silent auction and sponsored kids' zone follow that model of diversifying event revenue.
Local restaurants and sponsors can reach regional customers through participation in community fundraisers. Businesses considering sponsorship should weigh costs against the visibility gained from events like this one.
The takeaway
Local fundraisers like Souper Sunday show how business participation can directly fund community projects. Operators interested in sponsorship or restaurant participation should track future event announcements from regional nonprofits.
Further reading
For context on how local giving supports housing efforts, see more Philanthropy coverage.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Kait8.
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