‘Souper Bowl’ raises $2.6 million nationally

COLUMBIA, S.C. — The annual “Souper Bowl of Caring” fund-raiser on Super Bowl Sunday (Feb. 3) raised $2.6 million in 6,350 congregations across the United States, and that number will probably exceed $3 million when all the reports are in, organizers said.

That money will be given by the churches to local soup kitchens, food banks and other charities, said Brad Smith, the campaign’s director. Since the program went national in 1993 — raising $144,000 the first year — youth groups have collected $13.6 million. The vast majority of the money — $12 million — has been raised in the last four years.

The programs involve church youth groups who stand at their churches’ doors with soup pots or chef's hats seeking donations. This year, Smith also encouraged the youth groups to work on the Saturday before the Super Bowl at a local soup kitchen or other charity.

The program was started in 1990 in Columbia, S.C., with 22 churches led by Spring Valley Presbyterian Church. That coalition raised $5,700 and went statewide the next year. Smith said the majority of churches are Protestant, but the effort is growing among Catholic, Eastern Orthodox and Jewish congregations.