Whether they're under the weather, feeling homesick or swamped by finals, Stanford students can get a steaming bowl of solace, courtesy of the Matzah Ball Brigade. Founded in 2007 by Jon Katz, then the campus's Jewish student-life coordinator, the all-volunteer Brigade will deliver a hot bowl of canned matzah ball soup—the traditional Jewish version of chicken noodle soup—right to a student's room, free of charge.

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Parents or friends can e-mail requests on behalf of those in need to matzahballbrigade@gmail.com, or visit the group's Facebook page. Last year volunteers delivered 50 to 60 bowls, with a surge in requests during winter finals. Why matzah balls? Katz says the idea came to him from out of nowhere. He thought it would give students an opportunity to connect with one another. Besides which, he said, “It's a nice thing to do.” What a mensch!