GOSHEN COUNTY – Soup, handmade ceramic bowls, and a conversation that aims to positively impact youth in our community – Goshen HELP’s Souper Bowl Supper will warm hearts and stomachs Saturday, March 16, at Torrington High School.

There are 100 tickets available for the event, at $10 each, with all proceeds going toward a local donation account used to support teens in need. Attendees also get to keep their bowls, courtesy of the THS Art Department.

“Goshen HELP will use the funds raised to help support partner agencies that serve teens, but also work to provide additional resources within the three high schools that serve our county,” Executive Director Kyle Borger explained in a social media post about the supper.

Borger told the Telegram the idea for the fundraiser originated last year during a discussion with THS art teacher Steve Law.

“I started talking with a high school teacher – I’ve been trying to build connections with the high school in terms of trying to build resources for teens,” he said. “It seemed we needed to be able to create an opportunity for conversation, as there isn’t really an overall conversation taking place – at least not out in the public that we’re aware of. Last year, I was talking with (Law) about doing a fundraising dinner, and he said he could make ceramic bowls.”

Goshen HELP is also partnering with a local church to develop housing for young adults who need it while completing high school.

“The housing that Goshen HELP would provide through partnerships with others will comply with all laws and would work with existing agencies to be a resource as needed,” Borger said. “Our initial focus would be students that are classified as adults because they are 18. It is a small gap, but there are a number of students who find themselves without housing because they became an adult while in high school … we would work to provide support in cooperation with existing agencies to help those students develop a plan for finishing high school and work towards life as an adult with healthy supports and foundations.

“However, even with the law in place, there are teens, families, or others who do not report teens under 18 that are without safe housing,” he continued. “There may not be easy solutions here – sometimes there are complex issues involved. The intent of Goshen HELP is to always bring things to light and find solutions within the law.

“If there are situations that exist that cause people to not follow the law, then I think we need to begin to have conversations about why that is the case and then work to fix it,” he added.

Soup will be served at 6 p.m. in the THS commons area, followed by a presentation at 7 p.m. regarding youth in need. Tickets are available at Pinnacle Bank and the Goshen County Chamber of Commerce, and may also be offered at the door, if they do not sell out prior to the event.

Goshen HELP, a 501(c)3 non-profit, recently added several board members, including Carlos Saucedo, Lataizia Bechtel, Diane Nye, Sondra Dent, Kayleen Troupe, and Paula Newcomb. The organization seeks to add one more elected official and two more family representatives (representing families making 125% of Federal Poverty Guidelines or less) to its board.

For more information about Saturday’s event, food pantries, or financial assistance, stop by the Goshen HELP office at 2510 West C St., call (307) 509-0377 to schedule an appointment, or visit goshenhelp.com.

“We’re excited about (the addition of new board members),” Borger said. “Really, our long-term goals are that the county, as a whole, would see ownership in Goshen HELP – we try to see a wide variety of people who represent the county. The more support we get from people (here), the more we can do and the more grants we can bring in.”