Valley churches battle hunger in Souper Bowl

By Linda Linonis | February 6, 2010 at 12:08a.m.

Emmanuel Community Care Center

The Emmanuel Community Care Center in Girard, OH provides assistance to families in need. Sister Jean Orsuto is the director.

It’s estimated that Super Bowl XLIV will infuse some $153 million into the South Florida economy. In the matchup between the Indianapolis Colts and New Orleans Saints, each winning team member will get $83,000, and the losers take home $42,000 each. The Vince Lombardi trophy alone costs $25,000.

Now think about how all that money could feed the hungry.

Bread for the World (www.bread.org), a Christian citizens’ movement against hunger, reported 35.5 million people — including 12.6 million children — live in households that experience hunger or the risk of hunger. This represents more than one in 10 households in the U.S.

At services today and Sunday, youth groups at area churches are putting the hunger issue front and center via the annual Souper Bowl of Caring. In soup pots and kettles, youth collect monetary donations and food products to benefit local soup kitchens, food pantries and shelters.

Emmanuel Community Care Center, 2 N. State St. in Girard, will be among recipients of collections from the Souper Bowl of Caring. The donations are very welcome.

Sister Jean Orsuto is executive director and member of the Sisters of the Humility of Mary, which sponsors the ministry. She said replenishing the shelves of the center’s food pantry is a continuous effort.

“We’re helping 135 families a month,” she said of figures from 2009. Emmanuel center was established in 1992 as an advocacy center for the residents of Girard. She predicted the number of needy would rise this year. In 2007, the center helped 80 families a month and in 2008, 115.

“We help families get through a few days when their food stamps run out,” Sister Jean said. “And we help those people who make too much to qualify for food stamps but not enough to provide food for a month.”

She said clients range from single people to families with nine children. “Some people just have difficulty meeting basic food needs,” she said.

Sister Midge DiMatteo supervises the food pantry. “We’ve seen an increase in need ... It’s the economy,” she said.

Sister Midge reiterated that food from Emmanuel provides a stop gap when food stamps run out.

“What we give out depends on the size of the family,” she said. Among clients are families of six and nine people.

Food boxes are packed with such items as canned soups, vegetables and fruit, cereals, peanut butter, jelly, macaroni and cheese mixes and spaghetti and sauce. “From the Souper Bowl of Caring, we get a nice selection of food items,” Sister Jean said.

And she noted the monetary donations help the center buy food from Second Harvest Food Bank.

“We’re grateful for the work of the churches. They’re very supportive,” Sister Jean said.

The center has 500 active cases from 19-year-olds to senior citizens and singles to families. It distributes food and clothing and helps families with emergency assistance, including utility bills. The center also is a Salvation Army unit site that is separate from the nuns’ ministry.

The Rev. Betsy Schenk, pastor of Girard United Methodist Church, 22 N. Market St., Girard, said the youth group of 20-25 junior and senior high school students will conduct the Souper Bowl of Caring Sunday. She said it’s been a project there six years.

“This is a good way for the youth to help Emmanuel center replenish its food pantry,” the Rev. Ms. Schenk said.

But, it also serves as a way to heighten awareness about hunger and homelessness in the community. She noted that the church serves as a host and day center for Family Promise of Mahoning Valley Inc., which help families in crisis. Through Family Promise, churches take turns housing and feeding homeless families.

“The kids have learned a lot about hunger from that project,” she said. “They’ve seen that homeless people are people just like them.”

Pastor Ron Maurer of First Christian Church, 140 E. Broadway Ave., Girard, said the church has supported the Souper Bowl for five years. This year, its collection will go to Emmanuel. “There is a such a need,” Pastor Maurer said. “

Susan Lipkovich, Christian formation coordinator at St. Rose Church, 48 E. Main St., Girard, said the youth group of 35 from ninth- through 12th grades, will collect money and nonperishable food items. “It’s about raising awareness among the kids and parish,” she said. “It’s a way the young people can help.”

FAST FACTS

The Souper Bowl of Caring (www.souperbowl.org) began in 1990 with 22 churches in Columbia, S.C., raising $5,700. The idea came from a seminary intern at Spring Valley Presbyterian Church in 1990 who suggested using Super Bowl weekend as a time to unify youth of the nation in a goal of collecting dollars and canned food for the needy. At services today and Sunday, youth and other groups at churches will collect money, which will benefit a charity of their choice that combats hunger. These are among youth groups at area churches that are participating in the Souper Bowl of Caring:

Bethel Lutheran Church, 425 Crestview Drive, Boardman: The youth group will collect donations in a soup pot in the narthex. Donations will be split between the Rescue Mission of Mahoning Valley and Haiti relief.

Blessed Sacrament Church, 3020 Reeves Road N.E., Warren: Terry Supancic, pastoral associate, said the junior and senior ministry, numbering some 100 young people, will collect monetary donations in soup pots at Masses today and Sunday. Funds will go to St. Vincent de Paul Society’s soup kitchen in Warren.

Disciples Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), 565 Boardman-Canfield Road, Boardman: Youth will collect monetary donations in soup pots, which will be added to the Week of Compassion donations. Funds will go to Haiti relief.

First Christian Church of Girard, 140 E. Broadway Ave., Girard: The church has conducted the Souper Bowl of Caring project for five years. Funds will benefit Emmanuel Community Care Center in Girard.

First Presbyterian Church, 201 Wick Ave., Youngstown: Lisa Velker, pastor associate, said the youth and Boy Scout Troop 55 of the church will collect monetary donations and nonperishable food items in large soup kettles. All proceeds will go to the food pantry at Protestant Family Service in Youngstown.

First Presbyterian Church, 3654 Main St., Mineral Ridge: Youth group, from seventh grade and older, and students in Sunday school classes will collect nonperishable food items and monetary donations. They’ll be wearing blue T-shirts with the Souper Bowl of Caring logo. The project will benefit Warren Family Mission.

First Presbyterian Church of Girard, 890 Church Hill Road, Girard: Pastor Deborah Dockstader said the church participates in the Souper Bowl and the small church is “generous.” Monetary donations benefit Emmanuel center.

Girard United Methodist Church, 22 N. Market St., Girard: The youth group numbering between 20 and 25 members will collect canned soup and monetary donations for Emmanuel center in Girard. The church has conducted the project for six years.

Good Hope Lutheran Church, 98 Homestead Drive, Boardman: Susan Wessner, associate in ministry, said TWIST (Teens Whose Inspiration Shines Through) with about 20 participants from seventh through 12th grades will collect monetary donations to benefit Lutheran World Relief and earmark funds for relief in Haiti. The youth group also will learn about hunger through a 30-hour famine April 23-24.

Lord of Life Lutheran Church, 550 N. Broad St., Canfield: The confirmation class wants the congregation to “catch the spirit” of giving by contributing monetary donations to soup pots that will be passed during the offering on Super Bowl Sunday. Donations will benefit Operation Blessing.

St. John’s Episcopal Church, 323 Wick Ave., Youngstown: Youth at the church will collect monetary donations Sunday to benefit the Red Door Cafe at the church, a free feeding program from noon to 1 p.m. on Sundays.

St. Rose Church, 48 E. Main St., Girard: The 35-member youth group of ninth- through 12th graders will collect monetary donations and canned goods at Masses this weekend. The collection will benefit Emmanuel center in Girard.

Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church, 78 E. Liberty St., Girard: The youth, numbering about 15-20, will collect money and canned goods to benefit Emmanuel center. This youth group will join with youth of Trinity Lutheran Church, 56 Chestnut Ave., Niles, to sponsor a submarine sandwich sale from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. today at the Niles church.

Zion Lutheran Church, 10857 Main St., New Middletown: Teams will collect monetary donations in kettles for the benefit of the Rescue Mission of Mahoning Valley.

Source: Church newsletters