Souper Bowl of Caring set for Monday

The event has generated more than $28 million for soup kitchens and shelters.
SHARON, Pa. -- The Souper Bowl of Caring Blitzathon, an advance tailgate party to recognize a youth-led project of giving on Super Bowl Sunday, is set for Monday at Sharon United Methodist Church, 237 W. Silver St.
Jon Kolb, former Pittsburgh Steelers player on the 1979 Super Bowl championship team, along with a group of Pittsburgh-area teenagers will attend the free event that will feature games, prizes, giant inflatables and more.
It will start at 4:30 p.m. with speakers scheduled at 5:30.
On Feb. 5 -- Super Bowl Sunday -- when the Steelers play the Seattle Seahawks, participating church and school youth groups will staff giant soup pots at churches, retail stores and other sites and ask for a donation of just a dollar.
The funds will go to local charities selected by the youth groups.
Now in its 15th year, the Souper Bowl of Caring has given more than $28 million to soup kitchens, food banks and shelters.
How it started
The national project began on Super Bowl Sunday in 1988 by the Rev. Brad Smith, a minister from South Carolina, who said this prayer, "Lord, as we enjoy this Super Bowl football game, help us be mindful of those who are without even a bowl of soup to eat."
Youth groups will be able to register their donation at the Souper Bowl of Caring Web site, www.souperbowl.org.
This year's project started Jan. 15 in the 2007 Super Bowl city of Miami and concludes Feb. 4 in this year's Super Bowl city, Detroit, which was recently cited as America's poorest city.
The Interdenominational Youth Coalition in the Youngstown area also participates in the Souper Bowl of Caring by collecting money and canned goods, which are donated to church soup kitchens and food pantries and larger food banks.