What better way to honor American democratic rights, like freedom of speech and religion, than to exercise civility and hospitality toward our fellow citizens and their right to the same freedoms? You can build community and friendships by hosting a soup night. It's a great way to start the important democratic work of transcending our individual identities and ideologies. The host provides two or three pots of soup and sends out invitations to her/his neighbors. Some hosts ask their guests to bring their own dishes and silverware; other hosts make it clear that guests do not need to bring anything. Either way, guests often show up with side dishes, like bread, crackers, or salad. A quick Internet search will give soup-night hosts everything from invitations to recipes, so it's easy to get started making connections and building relationships with your neighbors.

— Habib Todd Boerger in Practicing Democracy in Your Neighborhood