Souper Bowl Sunday: Youth Collect Dollars for World Hunger

Date: January 13, 2003

As football teams play each other across the country to see who will meet in the Super Bowl on January 26, thousands of congregations are teaming up to help end world hunger. "The Souper Bowl of Caring" is an annual faith-based event led locally by young people, who collect donations in soup pots as parishioners leave religious services. People are encouraged to give one dollar each along with canned food. Youth choose the programs that will receive donations.

"The Souper Bowl of Caring" is a great opportunity for United Methodist congregations to involve youth in mission and raise funds for the United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR). Through UMCOR's World Hunger/Poverty program, which is supported by United Methodist contributions to Advance #982920-4, UMCOR not only supplies food for the hungry but also helps poor countries move forward with development. In its long-term effort to eradicate poverty, UMCOR provides seeds, tools, and training are provided to enable people to grow their own food. It also helps people start small businesses and supports water, reforestation, literacy, and health programs in its long-term effort to eradicate poverty.

In 2002, youth helped over 10,000 churches raise $3.1 million for hunger programs, soup kitchens, food banks and other charities in all 50 states, Canada, the Netherlands, Germany, Puerto Rico and the Marshall Islands. All of the money collected is donated to a cause selected by the congregation. Since the Souper Bowl began in 1990, $16.6 million has been given to help those in need.

A Souper Bowl service day launches the 2003 years campaign January 25 by encouraging youth groups across the country to volunteer in their local soup kitchens, food banks and other charities. This event is intended to help young people learn more about the problem of hunger, to further benefit local charities, and to increase awareness of the Souper Bowl itself.

How to Participate in This Ministry

More information and worship resources are available on UMCOR's web site at http://gbgm-umc.org/umcor/hunger/souperbowl.stm and at http://www.souperbowl.org.

Donations to UMCOR's Hunger/Poverty Program, Advance #982920-4 may be sent through a local United Methodist church, Annual Conference or by mailing the check directly to: UMCOR, Room #330, 475 Riverside Drive, New York, NY 10115. For credit card donations, call 800-554-8583. Click here to make a secure online gift.