wfn.org | [PCUSANEWS] 'Souper Bowl' hopes to score $5 million

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Note #8612 from PCUSA NEWS to PRESBYNEWS:

05034
January 20, 2005

'Souper Bowl' hopes to score $5 million

Traditional anti-hunger event adds tsunami relief this year

by Evan Silverstein

LOUISVILLE - As National Football League playoff teams clash for the right to
advance to the Super Bowl, participants in another big game will be teaming
up next month to fight hunger and poverty.

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 Program contributed $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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