“Even as we prepare to watch a football game, Lord, let us be mindful of those without even a bowl of soup to eat.” Those words of a prayer at a Presbyterian Church in South Carolina started a movement.
Did you know that in the United States, Super Bowl Sunday is the second biggest eating day of the year, behind only Thanksgiving? In 2015, 6,712 groups collected over 8 million dollars to for their local food banks, soup kitchens, and other hunger related causes. The Souper Bowl of Caring keeps us mindful of those without even a bowl of soup to eat.
Now through February 14th, we will be taking part in the Souper Bowl of Caring. This youth-inspired movement began in 1990, and has raised more than $160 million to fight hunger over the past 30 years. Last year alone, over $10 million was collected and the monies stay local and go directly to those tackling hunger.
Eastminster’s collection will once again go to the MSU Student Food Bank. In these COVID times, MSU Student Food Bank is still serving food-insecure students and their families and our collection can help them continue those efforts. Since we will not have soup pots at the sanctuary doors on Souper Bowl Sunday this year, we have the following options to participate:
1) Send a check to the church made out to Eastminster (memo line Souper Bowl).
2) Give online using the special offerings option on online giving menu.
3) Drop off check or money on Feb 14 when Lenten materials will be distributed by drive up at the church.
For more information about Souper Bowl of Caring, visit their website.
About the MSU Student Food Bank
The MSU Student Food Bank is intended to provide supplemental food and other necessities for students and their families who are in need of this type of support.
The MSU Student Food Bank was founded in 1993 by a group of students and MSU staff. The Student Food Bank was the first campus-based food assistance program in the country. Our founders recognized that some MSU students faced food insecurity on a regular basis and needed food assistance so they could focus on their studies, families, and work. The MSU Food Student Food Bank has been serving students ever since. We remain an MSU registered student organization (RSO) and continue to operate on our credo of “Students Helping Students.”
Notes of Interest:
◾ The MSU Student Food Bank was the first food bank in the nation that was and is run by students, for students
◾ The MSU Student Food Band has assisted MSU students in need since 1993
◾ The MSU Student Food Bank is a member of the Greater Lansing Food Bank this allows us to purchase food at a significantly reduced price, averaging $0.45 per pound. This saves us 72% compared to the national wholesale cost of food.
◾ The MSU Student Food Bank operates on charitable donations received from community members and organizations
◾ The MSU Student Food Bank provides volunteer leadership opportunities for over 200 students each year
◾ The MSU Student Food Bank serves over 4,000 clients per year
◾ The MSU Student Food Bank distributes about 50,000 pounds of food annually to MSU students and their families (that’s 10,020 5 lb. bags of food)
