June 13, 2001 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — Extensions of Remarks E1085 giving. The level of giving is affected by a With its roots in midland South Carolina, time to ply those marketing skills for the person’s concern about the future, and the it is today a charity branching nationwide Souper Bowl. As a result, professional foot- strong economy has reduced anxiety about and affirming the miracles that can occur ball players agreed to make public service the future,’’ Erin says. when enough people give just a little. Last announcements and nearly a dozen teams, She points to the Independent Sector Super Bowl Sunday, it inspired people in all including the Carolina Panthers and Atlanta study, noting that people do tend to give 50 states and Canada to toss $1.7 million into Falcons, threw their considerable weight be- more as their financial security increases. soup cauldrons at churches and community hind the Souper Bowl. National Football The decision to give is often influenced by centers to help feed the hungry or meet League star Reggie White and Campbell’s whether individuals have sufficient dispos- other needs in their local neighborhoods. Soup launched a nationwide promotional able income. On a national level, this report Now, every year while Americans are riveted campaign, including radio ads, posters and a indicates an increase in the percentage of re- on a football game that determines a na- press conference in San Diego the Wednesday spondents who reported giving a larger tional championship, more and more of them before the 1998 big game. amount, up to 24 percent in 1999 from 21 per- also focus, however briefly, on the Souper Columbian Jim Antley designed and main- cent in 1996. Bowl, which defines a national conscience. It tains the Web page. Some 30 volunteers help While good economic conditions do make is a simple way for ordinary people to make enter data. Frank Imhoff compiled the data- for better times in the non-profit sector, a difference. base. Joan does caution against a giver’s income The challenge has been to keep simple a But it’s still the energy of youth that level as the sole organizations when identi- sweeping movement that now has thousands drives the Souper Bowl of Caring. Local tra- fying potential donors. of volunteers, at least 8,000 local branches, dition is at least one all-night workathon, ‘‘What always surprises me is that I find corporate sponsors and 10 professional foot- where young people gather at the Spring those people who have less disposable income ball teams behind it, and high-tech support Valley church social hall to share pizza, actually give a much higher percentage of to keep track of donations. All the money re- watch a Monty Python movie, stuff enve- what they have than those who have more,’’ mains in the communities where it is col- lopes and lick stamps until dawn. And youth Joan says. ‘‘That has taught me many valu- lected; local groups choose where to give the make up the bulk of the volunteers who do able lessons, and I never make an assump- cash and food. Totals are reported to a phone the actual work on Super Bowl Sunday. tion about whether someone may give based bank in Columbia or logged on the Internet. Last year, about a thousand churches and on income. I’ve seen studies that indicate The numbers help participants see more organizations used the Internet to report people actually give more if they pay higher clearly what their own contributions, how- their donations, but seven times that num- taxes rather than lower taxes, disputing the ever small, can do when added to others’. ‘‘In ber telephoned on Super Bowl Sunday, call- assumption that lower taxes mean increased an age when young people are bombarded ing into a 50-line phone bank contributed by disposable income for charitable contribu- with cynicism, it’s important for them to Blue Cross/Blue Shield. Other companies tions.’’ know that by God’s grace, they can make a have offered support and expertise, usually So today, with the apparent plateau of eco- difference in the world,’’ Smith says. ‘‘We because someone who works there has asked. nomic conditions around the corner, should are so divided as a country in so many ways. Some communities get corporations to non-profits be concerned with declining con- Republican and Democrat. Rich and poor. match what individuals give. tributions? Not necessarily. Erin says, ‘‘Peo- Black and white. Young and old. The Super Yet, the focus remains small. The idea still ple give to people. They give to local con- Bowl is a rivalry. But our Souper Bowl tran- is to ask for only a dollar, only a can of food. cerns or causes in which they have some con- scends differences. It brings diverse people If the amount collected is only about what it nection. It’s a personal decision.’’ with different backgrounds, different opin- takes to pay for a 30-second commercial in She notes that three factors generally in- ions, different faiths, together for a common the televised football game that day, it is fluence people to give to charitable causes— purpose, and together they make a tremen- still a monumental blessing for the charities being asked by someone, through participa- dous difference. Just knowing that changes chosen to receive that bounty. tion in an organization or through a family the way many of our young people choose to With the phenomenal growth of the Souper member or relative. Even in an economic live the rest of their lives.’’ Bowl, its original organizers have insisted on downturn, these personal factors are un- On the Internet—and wherever the Souper maintaining the grassroots character. ‘‘We likely to change. Bowl of Caring, as it’s now called, is dis- believe the idea is a gift from God,’’ Brad cussed—the football images are tempting. Smith says. ‘‘It is our task to be good stew- Youth carry the ball. Donors score. Teams ards of it.’’ [From the Sandlapper magazine, Winter win. A youth group in Virginia is called for 1998–99] clipping after challenging their pastor to f shave his beard when their collections reach FROM ONE SMALL SEED .... A SUPER BOWL RIGHT TO ORGANIZE SUNDAY CHARITY STARTED BY COLUMBIA a goal. Some churches blitz their commu- YOUTH QUICKLY WENT NATIONAL nities with flyers and letters and phone calls. On the Web site, donated by South Carolina (By Margaret N. O’Shea) HON. DAVID E. BONIOR SuperNet, football icons offer links to a OF MICHIGAN The Rev. Brad Smith often thinks of the playbook, coaches’ corner, player profiles, tiny seed he tossed into his senior youth and a chance to score a touchdown on a hun- IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES group at Spring Valley Presbyterian Church ger quiz. Prior years’ statistics are retired Wednesday, June 13, 2001 in Columbia that winter Sunday nine years numbers, of course. ago, because its phenomenal growth has But for Brad Smith, the mustard seed is Mr. BONIOR. Mr. Speaker, The Right to Or- changed his life and the lives of countless the image to remember. He recalls the half ganize is a fundamental right—workers fought, others. It was a simple line in a prayer: dozen teenagers who showed up after school bled and even died for this right. ‘‘Lord, as we enjoy the Super Bowl football to brainstorm about the first Souper Bowl. Workers organize because they want to en- game, help us to be mindful of those among Each had friends who attended other church- sure that their labor is valued . . . they want us without even a bowl of soup to eat.’’ But es and schools and agreed to call them. One such seeds fall on fertile ground in the gen- a voice at work. by one, those churches joined the effort. About four years ago, we began working erous South, where people instinctively re- Later, as young people went away to college spond to a neighbor’s need—or a stranger’s— or moved to other cities, they would in the with the AFL–CIO to lend our voices as Mem- with casseroles and kindness. same way get their new churches involved in bers of Congress . . . to help build coalitions Not even the sower could envision how giving. Each year would bring younger with workers as they try to organize. that single seed would flourish. But youth in brothers and sisters of kids who’d been in- As elected officials, we can join with clergy the church seized the notion and nurtured it. volved earlier on, stuffing envelopes with and other community leaders to ensure that By the 1990 Super Bowl, they had mobilized press releases for out-of-state newspapers, workers have the freedom to choose to join a it. By the 1990 Super Bowl, they had mobi- making phone calls, manning the phone lized other young people in 22 Columbia-area union. bank, distributing posters, holding the caul- That’s what the 7 Days in June are all churches to collect one dollar each and cans drons. of food from worshipers as they left to go When the Souper Bowl first began to about. home, filling soup kettles with the donations spread to other states, it was still through We are here today to join the chorus of for local food banks and soup kitchens. They the word-of-mouth concept. Pennsylvania, voices that says: ‘Employer interference with scored $5,700 and vowed to top it the next the state that always comes closest to South workers’ choices is unacceptable.’ year. They did . . . over and over again. In Carolina’s contributions and once has even This year’s 7 Days in June . . . 9th through time, more than 125 churches in Richland surpassed us, began participating after a Lu- 16th . . . promises to be even bigger than last and Lexington counties were familiar with theran layman in his 80s heard about the year when more than 12,000 workers, commu- the kettles and bowls used to collect dona- program while vacationing in Myrtle Beach tions, and churches in other states were bor- and took the idea home. nity leaders and elected officials participated in rowing the idea. In 1995, what the Spring Laura Bykowski, a Spring Valley volun- more than 120 events in 100 cities. Valley youth enthusiastically dubbed ‘‘The teer who ‘‘retired’’ from a marketing career The participation in these events by Mem- Souper Bowl’’ went national. to raise a family, has used her child’s nap- bers of Congress is important—when we lend
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