'Souper Bowl' hopes for big increase in Catholic youth participation

COLUMBIA, S.C. (CNS) - Leaders of the Souper Bowl of Caring based in Columbia have set an ambitious goal for participation by Catholic youth groups in the annual Super Bowl Sunday food drive.

Last year's figure was 1,245. For 2007, Souper Bowl leaders want 2,007 Catholic youth groups participating, a 61 percent increase. "The Souper Bowl of Caring teaches young people the joy that comes from serving others and concretizes Catholic social teaching," said Bob McCarty, executive director of the National Federation of Catholic Youth Ministry in Washington. The federation is one of several community partners supporting the event. "We encourage Catholic youth groups to join this ecumenical movement that embodies Jesus' teaching to 'love thy neighbor' and work to transform Super Bowl weekend into the largest weekend of giving and serving in our country," McCarty said in a statement. In 2006, 1,245 Catholic youth groups raised a little more than $1 million. The Souper Bowl itself recorded contributions of just under $5 million with a total of 11,500 groups participating and has set an ambitious goal of $8 million to be raised in 2007 for local food pantries. As of Dec. 20, 15,295 groups so far were registered to take part. In all, $33 million has been raised for food banks and feeding programs since the Souper Bowl started 16 years ago. The method is easy: Members of church youth groups on Super Bowl Sunday -- to be held Feb. 4 in 2007 -- stand at church doors with soup pots, asking churchgoers to donate as little as $1. All the monies raised by a youth group will be given to a charity selected by that group. A representative of each group records the amount raised at the Souper Bowl's Web site, www.souperbowl.org. Youth groups can register at www.souperbowl.org to get a free resource kit with all of the materials needed to plan and promote the event. The National Federation of Catholic Youth Ministry also offers online resources to support parishes in Souper Bowl projects at www.nfcym.org/resources/components/justserve/index.htm.

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Copyright (c) 2007 Catholic News Service/U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops