While the free soup suppers in Buckley have steadily increased in popularity, the number of organizations stepping forward to host the monthly meals hasn’t grown accordingly.

Sponsored by the Buckley Senior Center and hosted each month at the multipurpose center on Main Street, the meals have become a citywide favorite. When the soup dinners debuted seven months ago, 15 guests showed up; the most recent meal, hosted Jan. 9, attracted a crowd of 63.

The monthly event has simple guidelines: anyone desiring a dinner of soup, bread, dessert and a beverage just has to show up armed with a bowl and spoon — organizers aren’t about to do dishes.

Ellen Boyd, who launched the idea and organizes the meals, said the only problem she faces is finding groups willing to cook up a batch of soup and provide the bread and dessert. So far, the Buckley Kiwanis Club, Buckley Presbyterian Church, the White River School District administrative team, Buckley city employees and the congregation from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints have answered the call.

Sponsors prepare the soup off-site and take it to the multipurpose center for the meals, offered from 5 to 6 p.m. the second Wednesday of each month.

The Feb. 12 meal will be provided by the White River School District employees. After that, Boyd has nothing planned.

A lack of hosts, she said, could see the program come to an end.

Any group interested in providing one of the monthly soup suppers can contact Boyd at 360-761-7814.