“Lord, even as we enjoy the Super Bowl football game, help us to be mindful of those who are without a bowl of soup to eat.”

The year was 1990 when Reverend Brad Smith at the Spring Valley Presbyterian Church in Columbia, South Carolina said that simple prayer.

Small church—-small beginnings, but the young people at Spring Valley Church were mobilized to fight hunger in their local community. They did it by reaching out to include 22 other churches in Columbia.

Each group conducted a campaign to encourage people to give money or canned goods. Each can is counted as one dollar. That first Souper Bowl of Caring raised $ 5, 700, and it was taken directly to a local charity of the group’s choice.

The organization quickly grew to include congregations of all faiths, schools, and businesses. The collection of food and monetary donations is still made during the weeks leading up to Super Bowl Sunday. There are over 14, 000 groups involved now, and they have raised more than $ 61 million during this 20 year history.

In 2007, the Service Blitz was added to encourage young people to spend the Saturday before Super Bowl Sunday serving in some local charity. Some communities sponsor local events to raise awareness of poverty, hunger, and homelessness. Others get their youth group involved with a soup kitchen to have a hands-on experience.

Former Dallas Cowboy great Drew Pearson helped kick off the Dallas Souper Bowl of Caring this year. The three week long campaign was launched at Winston, a private school for students with learning difficulties.

Drew Pearson

The children admired Drew’s Super Bowl ring from the Cowboys’ 1978 victory over the Denver Broncos in Super Bowl XII before he spoke.

Pearson talked to the children about the mission of assisting hungry families in their own city. The goal was to gather cash and donations equaling 1.5 million pounds of food.

The children then made banners to urge donors to “kick hunger” and sorted non-perishable items already gathered.

Several local grocery stores are offering pre-packed bags that can be bought and given away. Food donated in the supermarkets will benefit the North Texas Food Bank in Dallas and the Tarrant Area Food Bank in Fort Worth which will supply about 550 hunger relief agencies.

It is very welcome because giving really drops off after the holiday season.

Bo Soderbergh, executive director of the Tarrant Area Food Bank, reminds everyone, “Hunger is 365 days a year.”

Although the Souper Bowl of Caring is headed by adults, the organization has young people lead the way. In fact, the weekend of the first Sunday in February (Super Bowl weekend) has become America’s largest youth-led weekend of giving and serving.

• The National Advocates of the Souper Bowl of Caring are the following:
• President and Mrs. George H. W. Bush—-41st President of the United States
• President and Mrs. Jimmy Carter—-39th President of the United States
• The Hunt Family—–owners of the Kansas City Chiefs
• Meg and Jim Irsay—–owners of the Indianapolis Colts
• Gene and Jerry Jones Family——owners of the Dallas Cowboys
• John K. Mara—-President and CEO of the New York Giants
• Janice and Bob McNair—–Chairman and CEO of the Houston Texans
• The Jerry Richardson Family—–Owner/Founder of the Carolina Panthers
• Delores Barr and J. Wayne Weaver—–Chairman and CEO of the Jacksonville Jaguars

On January 22, 2004, Barbara Bush spoke at the Capital Area Food Bank’s Souper Bowl of Caring. She said, “An estimated 90 million Americans will watch the Super Bowl. Imagine how many hungry families we could feed if everyone just gives one dollar. One person alone cannot do everything. But these young people show us that one person can do something. They remind us that you don’t have to throw a touchdown to win with someone. You don’t have to wear a badge to rescue someone. And, you don’t need a medical degree to help somebody feel better. You don’t have to run for office to change your country. Volunteers are heroes. And through acts of love and kindness, you help build a more compassionate America.”

Thanksgiving is the day Americans consume the most food. Super Bowl Sunday is the next biggest feasting day. The money spent on Super Bowl food is estimated at $ 55 million.

Yet, nearly 38 million Americans, 14 million being children, are without enough food to eat every day.

Thinking about Souper Bowl of Caring? Go to www.souperbowl.org.

Be part of the solution.