LOUISVILLE — Souper
Bowl of Caring
officials say Presbyterian
churches netted
nearly a half-million
dollars in last
weekend’s
annual anti-hunger
campaign.
As of Feb. 4,
nearly 1,500 Presbyterian
churches had raised
about $489,000
for the program,
and organizers
say collections
haven’t been
fully reported.
Overall, more
than 8,400 organizations
and congregations
from a variety
of U.S. religious
denominations have
reported collecting
more than $2.9
million, Souper
Bowl officials
said.
“The total
has climbed nearly
$500,000 today,
and the reports
are coming fast,” said
the Rev. Brad Smith,
the Presbyterian
minister who founded
the Souper Bowl
of Caring and is
its executive director. “I
feel like we are
well on our way
to the $4 million
goal.”
Volunteers stood
outside thousands
of churches on
Feb. 1, collecting
money and canned
goods for the
program, which
takes advantage
of the National
Football League
championship
game
to raise money
for the poor
and ill-nourished.
The program,
held every
year on Super
Bowl Sunday,
has raised
more
than
$20 million
for food banks,
soup
kitchens and
other charities
since
its inception
in 1990. Last year, youngsters
from more than
12,000 churches,
schools and other
groups in 50 states
raised more than
$3.5 million, up
$400,000 from the
previous year.
Presbyterians from
about 2,240 congregations
in 48 states collected
a record $719,452
for Souper Bowl
2003, about $15,000
more than in 2002.
Last year’s
top contributing
PC(USA) congregations
were Sardis Presbyterian
Church of Charlotte,
NC, $5,300; Rancho
Bernardo Community
Presbyterian Church
of San Diego, CA,
$2,634; and Fourth
Presbyterian Church
of Chicago, $3,330.
The
Presbyterian
Church (USA)’s
Hunger Program contributed $10,000
to help pay administrative
expenses last year
and pledged the
same amount for
2004. Memorial
Drive Presbyterian
Church in Houston,
the host city of
this year’s
Super Bowl, collected
more than 32,700
non-perishable
food items in leading
a citywide Souper
Bowl drive.
“As totals
continue to climb,
we affirm all of
the young people
who held soup pots
and worked in food
banks and soup
kitchens in an
effort to spread
the love of God
to their neighbors
in need,” Smith
said.
The Souper Bowl
of Caring program
was inspired by
a prayer Smith
offered on Super
Bowl Sunday in
1988 at Spring
Valley Presbyterian
Church.
Participating groups
phone in their
totals, then send
the money and food
to charities of
their choice.
Churches and organizations
that participated
but haven’t
reported can do
so by logging on
to www.souperbowl.org or calling (800)
358-SOUP (7687). |
