Super Bowl LIV, is set for Sunday, February 2, with a great showdown between the Kansas City Chiefs and the San Francisco 49ers.
Did you know that a 30 second Super Bowl ad costs $5.6 million or $186,666 per second? Multiply that $5.6 million times 60 commercials that will air, that’s $336 million total spent during the Super Bowl.
Meanwhile, one in seven adults and one in five children struggle with hunger in North Carolina. Imagine how many struggling families could be helped if just a portion of Super Bowl commercial spending was directed to charities like Interfaith Assistance Ministry in Hendersonville that help people in desperate need.
Thankfully, Souper Bowl of Caring helps make the day more meaningful. On the day of the Super Bowl, and the weeks before it, congregations, youth groups, civic clubs and other charitable groups around the country are encouraged to donate canned soup and other nonperishable foods and donate $1 or more per can. These donations will help Interfaith Assistance Ministry, the largest food pantry in Henderson County, open six days a week, continue to feed the need in our community.
In 2019, IAM provided basic needs’ services to 13,816 children and adults in desperate need, half of them were only seen one time. All donations stay right here in Henderson county to help our neighbors in financial crisis.
“IAM is open six days a week and more than 40 hours a week to address the food insecurity that exists among families and individuals in our community,” said Elizabeth Willson Moss, IAM executive director. “Souper Bowl of Caring helps IAM keep our pantry shelves stocked during one of the slowest donation times of the year. Thank you for helping IAM help feed our neighbors who struggle to survive.”
Please bring a can of soup, tuna or other nonperishable food plus an extra dollar or two to your house of worship for the Souper Bowl Collection over the first weekend in February – Saturday February 1 or Sunday February 2.
Find out more about organizing a collection and how to report your collection total so it will be included in the national total for 2020 at: www.souperbowl.org.
Donations of food and clothing may be made at 310 Freeman St., Hendersonville, Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Food and gently used and new clothing, linens and blankets may be dropped off during those hours at our donation door.
If you would like to volunteer with an organization that gives hope and provides basic needs to struggling local residents, please call the IAM volunteer coordinators at 697-7029 and arrange a tour.
IAM, Henderson County’s largest crisis services nonprofit, was founded in 1984 to serve as a clearing house for local faith congregations to assist area residents in financial crisis with food, clothing, shoes, utility bill and rent assistance. That purpose still exists but IAM is no longer funded solely by the faith community. Widespread donor support is needed to keep crisis services available.