A ‘can do’ attitude

February 5, 2011 at 12:00a.m.

Youth at area churches seek donations of money and food items for Souper Bowl of Caring

By LINDA M. LINONIS

The Souper Bowl of Caring, which collects funds and food for the hungry in the community, contrasts with the day of excesses in hype, sports, food and drink that is Super Bowl Sunday. The event will be observed Sunday at area churches.

Congregations remember those who do not have enough food. In most instances, youth of the churches will stand at doors to the sanctuaries with soup pots. Congregants are asked to donate a minimum of one dollar to the cause. Nonperishable food items also are collected.

Carole Rummell, Christian educator at First Presbyterian Church in Mineral Ridge, said the church has participated in the Souper Bowl for some 15 years. Youth of the church, mainly in the seventh- through ninth-grades, collect the donations.

Rummell said the church also challenges adults to match or donate a portion of what is collected. One year, an anonymous donor matched $500, she recalled.

While the project is geared to help the hungry, Rummell said it also is a teaching moment. “It helps young people realize that there are hungry people right here in the community,” she said. Another aspect is that young people get involved in a positive community activity.

The funds collected will go to Niles Community Services; the food will go the church food cupboard. Last year, the church donated $570.50 to NCS.

The Souper Bowl of Caring began in 1990 when Brad Smith, then a seminary intern at Spring Valley Presbyterian Church in Columbia, S.C., offered this prayer: “Lord, even as we enjoy the Super Bowl football game, help us be mindful of those who are without a bowl of soup to eat.”

The prayer provided the impetus for the Souper Bowl of Caring movement. The idea was to bring together youth for a serious purpose — to collect dollars and canned foods for those in need. The collections benefit the charity of the youths’ choice.

The project spread from Spring Valley Presbyterian; 22 Columbia churches participated the first year. They donated $5,700 to area non-profit organizations.

Overall, the project has donated $70 million to soup kitchens, food banks and other charities in communities across the country

Visit the website at www.souperbowl.org.