| On Super Bowl Sunday, Feb. 6, young people from 15,000 congregations are expected to participate in the Souper Bowl of Caring by asking parishioners to drop money and canned goods in soup pots to help hungry and hurting people in their communities.
This year many youth groups, congregations and schools will also collect money to aid tsunami and earthquake victims in southern Asia.
The Presbyterian-founded, anti-hunger Souper Bowl campaign has raised $24 million for food banks, soup kitchens and other charities since its inception in 1990.
“The devastation of hunger in this country and the tsunami in Asia will go on long after Souper Bowl Sunday,” said the Rev. Brad Smith, the Presbyterian minister who kicked off the fund-raiser 15 years ago in Columbia, SC. “But imagine the positive impact if half of the 130 million people who watch the big game gave one dollar to help those in need.”
Last year 12,750 congregations and schools raised a record $4.25 million for soup kitchens, food banks and other helping charities in all 50 states, Canada, the Netherlands, Germany, Puerto Rico and the Marshall Islands. Organizers hope this year to get 14,000 congregations and schools involved and raise $5 million.
About 2,280 Presbyterian churches in all 50 states took part in Souper Bowl 2004, generating a record $747,405, up slightly from $703,767 the previous year.
The Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)’s Hunger Programcontributed $9,000 to help meet administrative expenses for the 2005 Souper Bowl.
Groups that participate are asked only to report their totals, so that a national figure can be calculated. All the money raised is given to local charities by the groups who raise it. Participants will also choose the tsunami relief agencies to which they’d like to contribute.
“The Souper Bowl of Caring provides a message of hope during this time of uncertainty,” Smith said. “This is about giving to help our neighbors in need, and joining hands to put God’s love into action.”
Former President and Mrs. George H. W. Bush as well as former President and Mrs. Jimmy Carter are serving as national advocates of the Souper Bowl of Caring. Also serving as advocates are Wayne Huizenga and family, owners of the NFL Miami Dolphins, and J. Wayne and Delores Weaver, owners of the NFL Jacksonville Jaguars.
Presbyterians Bob and Janice McNair, owners of the NFL Houston Texans, who worship at Memorial Drive Presbyterian Church in Houston, are also national advocates. The couple served as honorary chairs of the 2004 Souper Bowl.
Organizers hope to literally take congregations to the kettles with a Souper Bowl Service Blitz on Saturday, Feb. 5, when church youth groups are encouraged to volunteer in local soup kitchens, food banks and related charities.
The idea is to promote the Souper Bowl while getting young people involved in the fight against hunger.
For more information, call (800) 358-SOUP (7687). The program’s home page, www.souperbowl.org, offers resources including prayers and Bible studies.
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