The soup kitchen was founded in 1899 by the Jewish community of Lisbon. Its purpose was to provide food for the poor and destitute members of the Community. Later, this kitchen became one of the most importants places for Jewish refugees in Lisbon where they were provided with food and clothes. The kitchen was financed by several Portuguese and international organizations, such as COMASSIS (Comissão Portuguesa de Assistência aos Judeus Refugiados em Portugal), Joint (American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee), or HIAS (Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society.) The original place of the soup kitchen might have been somewhere in the middle of this small square