The soup kitchens started as soon as the Great Depression hit in early 1929. They were introduced because of the effects of the Great Depression. Families were struggling as they were homeless and out of work. Soup kitchens were most popular in the United States but appeared in some areas in Canada. Like this one (shown as the primary evidence) in Montreal in 1931. Soup kitchens were mostly operated by voluntary and church organizations and served mostly bread and soup. The soup was economical because water could be added to serve more people. There are many reasons why this source is very credible. The first reason is that it shows how families were struggling and needed food. There are many people who are sat at what looks like a church, eating food. The second reason is that it looks like it is from the era of the Great Depression. Why it looks like it is from the era is because of the clothes they are wearing and the people who are eating look like they are feeling the struggle of being “poor”. During the Great Depression, many Canadian lives have been changing. This primary source tells us that the lives of the Canadians are changing because instead of having a normal life of sitting in their own homes and eating, they are striving and eating in “soup kitchens” provided by church organizations. Another reason how their lives are changing is that because of the Great Depression, they are homeless and jobless. They can’t provide for themselves anymore so they end up going to the “soup kitchens” for food. Overall, soup kitchens provided food for those in need during the horrific Great Depression that ruined the lives of most people.
