Help us feed hungry neighbors

On Super Bowl Sunday, we’ll also participate in a national effort, called “Souper Bowl of Caring,” to help feed hungry people. The idea is simple: all around the country, churches, schools, and community organizations are collecting non-perishable food and monetary donations to support soup kitchens, food pantries, and hunger relief organizations in their local areas. All of the money collected is donated to a charity selected by the participating organizations — none of the money is sent to Souper Bowl headquarters.

The non-perishable food we collect will be given to Project FEED (Food Emergency Exchange Depot), an emergency food depot located in the basement of Woodfords Congregational Church. Project FEED was founded in 1975 by a group of clergy and lay-people concerned with the growing number of Portland residents who were without a reliable source of food in emergencies. Project FEED is supported by 23 churches and 2 synagogues in the Greater Portland area and is staffed completely by volunteers.

Financial gifts received in the soup kettle will be given to Wayside Soup Kitchen, Maine’s largest soup kitchen, which has been providing nutritious meals to the homeless and poor of Greater Portland since 1986.

In 2007, over 14,500 groups participated in the Souper Bowl of Caring, generating over $8 million. Since the Souper Bowl of Caring began in 1990 as the idea of one local church youth group, more than $41 million has gone to help people in need.