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Souper Bowl of Caring

The Souper Bowl of Caring is a nationwide event the day of the Super Bowl (February 1, 2009 this year), and local congregations involved with Interfaith Hospitality Network of Greater Cincinnati have historically taken up a collection benefiting IHN as part of the Souper Bowl of Caring.

Last year alone, participating congregations collected over $5,000 for Interfaith Hospitality Network of Greater Cincinnati! Just think about what an impact 10, 20, or even all 67 host and support congregations could have if everyone took part. I hope that this February, you will join the ranks and help us raise even more for IHN. Not only would this easy and fun event raise much needed funds for an organization your congregation is already committed to, it can have the added side effects of increasing awareness of IHN at your congregations, and getting new groups (like a youth group, for example) involved in IHN. Some congregations give out Soup Recipes with every donation made. If you would like to download the Soup Recipes handout, click here.

 

Five Easy Steps to Holding a “Souper Bowl of Caring” at Your Congregation (Super Bowl Weekend is 2/4 in 2006.)

  1. Ask for permission from your minister/pastor/rabbi.
  2. Recruit members of your youth group to man the pots. You can bring your own pots, or use pots from the kitchen of your congregation. Use as many pots/volunteers as you have exits.
  3. Make an announcement in the Bulletin the week before the “Souper Bowl.” Here are some examples:

    EXAMPLE :

    We will hold our third annual “Souper Bowl” here at St. Columban next weekend after all masses. An annual event on Super Bowl weekend, we join with an anticipated 11,000 churches in all 50 states of various religious denominations in giving a few dollars on our way out of church. Look for the youth with the “Soup” kettles on your way out of mass next weekend. Our donations stay in Cincinnati, benefiting Interfaith Hospitality Network of Greater Cincinnati. Interfaith is a unique response to homelessness; it combines volunteers from 40-plus churches in the area with professionals to reintegrate families into the community. Please be generous in your response.

    EXAMPLE :

    Next Sunday is the Super Bowl, it also marks St. Columban’s second participation in a nationwide initiative called “Souper Bowl of Caring.” The first “Souper Bowl” began in 1990 with 22 congregations participating, last year over 10,000 churches participated, raising $3.1 million on Super Bowl Sunday. On “Souper Bowl” Sunday, we ask parishioners to drop a dollar or two into a soup pot on their way out of mass. The money collected at St. Columban will be donated to Interfaith Hospitality Network of Greater Cincinnati. Interfaith provides shelter, meals, and assistance to homeless families through local churches. They also connect these families with the resources that meet their most urgent needs while helping to find permanent housing and work opportunities. Youth group members have volunteered to man the “soup pots” after each mass next weekend. Please be generous and help us make this outreach program as successful here at St. Columban as it is at other churches nationwide.

  4. Make a verbal announcement at all services on “Souper Bowl” weekend. Here is an example of an announcement.

    EXAMPLE:

    On this Super Bowl Sunday we are once again participating in a nationwide initiative to help house and feed the homeless. In the Narthex, there are volunteers with soup pots. Please drop a couple of dollars into the pot on your way out of mass today. The money collected will be donated to the Interfaith Hospitality Network of Greater Cincinnati. Please help us make this a successful outreach effort.

  5. Put a thank you in the weekly bulletin the weekend after the Souper Bowl. Here is an example:

    EXAMPLE:

Thanks to your generosity last week, $1,200 was raised for the Interfaith Hospitality Network of Greater Cincinnati. Interfaith provides shelter, meals, and assistance to homeless families through its host and support congregations, who connect these families with the resources that meet their most urgent needs while helping to find permanent housing and work opportunities. Thanks also to the SMILE youth for their help with this Outreach project.

Thank you for considering participation in the Souper Bowl of Caring. We look forward to a successful event again this year!

For more information about the national effort, see www.souperbowl.org.