As many Americans wait with anticipation for what is undoubtedly the most well-known sporting event in the nation --the Super Bowl--they prepare for parties to celebrate the occasion. They purchase numerous snack foods and drinks for the inevitable parties that the event brings.

But for many others around the country, Super Bowl Sunday will be just another day of life without the basic necessities of life. They are down on their luck; some have lost jobs and have been unable to find employment; some are experiencing financial hardship because of medical reasons. Some are homeless.

It is for these folks that a group of individuals from a South Carolina church were first inspired to make a decision that has led to a movement that spread across the nation and has in the past 13 years provided food for literally thousands and thousands of people.

This year the movement--called "Souper Bowl of Caring"--has spread to Bladen County, where leaders hope it will result in a great outpouring of generosity from churches and residents around the county. The food and money collected during the Souper Bowl of Caring effort will go directly to the food bank at Bladen Crisis Assistance, a ministry of the Bladen Ministerial Association.

"Souper Bowl of Caring" began in 1990 after a simple prayer delivered by a seminary intern serving at Spring Valley Presbyterian Church in Columbia, South Carolina, gave birth to idea that has mushroomed into a major benevolent effort.

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

The prayer led to the youth of the church asking the parishioners of the congregation to give a dollar as they left the service to be contributed to a charity.

The senior high youth of the church liked the idea so much they decided to ask other churches to be on the team. That first year, the effort resulted in 22 Columbia-area churches participating and sending their offerings to area ministries to help the needy.

By 1993, the effort was statewide. By 1997, Souper Bowl for Caring collected more than $1 million for ministries in their respective communities. Later that year, an ecumenical board was formed to take over guidance and governance of the Souper Bowl.

By 2003, more than 125,000 young people in 12,000 churches and schools were participating in the effort, generating more than $3.5 million to help assist hungry and hurting people.

Since the inception of the effort, it has generated more than $20 million that has been contributed to soup kitchens, food banks and other charities across the nation.

The stated principles of the Souper Bowl of Caring are as follows:

The Bladen County Crisis Assistance program began earlier this year as an ecumenical ministry of the Ministerial Association to provide assistance to families in desperate need of assistance--families who had nowhere else to turn. The idea was to bring the family crisis assistance programs from the various churches into one effort.

Since it began operation during the summer, Bladen Crisis Assistance had provided 2,319 bags of food to the hungry and hurting of Bladen County before the end of December. In addition, it has provided emergency clothing and other assistance as funds permitted.

According to Dr. Bill Young, who is helping organize the Souper Bowl for Caring program in Bladen, this is an excellent opportunity for congregations and individuals around the county to help the ministry by giving either money or canned food to the drive.

"Our plan is to have a two-fold effort," said Young. "First, we hope to get as many churches as possible involved in the collection of food--and money--during their services on Souper Bowl Sunday--February 1. We ask that everyone who can bring canned goods or contribute to the cause after the services.

"To give everyone a chance to contribute including those who do not normally participate in church services, the youth from the various churches will be doing a door-to-door collection on the previous evening--Saturday, January 31," Young said. "Anyone who wishes to contribute may leave their canned goods on their front porch or at their front door by 5 p.m. and turn on their outside light to let the young people know they are participating.

"If per chance the donation is missed during the collection that evening, we ask that the bag be taken to a church in the community with instructions that it be contributed to Bladen Crisis Assistance, or it may be taken to BCA's food bank and thrift store at 315 Martin Luther King Drive in Elizabethtown."

Young said he hopes to get churches and youth groups throughout the county involved in Souper Bowl for Caring.

"This is a very worthwhile project that directly benefits the most needy of in our communities," Young said.

For information on churches and youth groups becoming a part of Souper Bowl of Caring, call Young at 862-3738.

-30-