Souper Bowl Names Florida Teen as Ambassador for 2002 Campaign.

Business Editors

COLUMBIA, S.C.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oct. 11, 2001

The Souper Bowl of Caring, a national grassroots faith-based drive led by youth that raises money for the hungry on Super Bowl Sunday, has named 18-year-old Rachel Baer, Brandon, Fla., as Ambassador for the 2002 campaign.

Baer, who was MVP of the 2001 Souper Bowl, is a student majoring in journalism this year at the University of North Florida. She was selected based on her community involvement during the last campaign through her youth group at First Presbyterian Church, Brandon, Fla. The youth group raised money for Brandon Outreach Clinic, which provides healthcare to people who cannot afford medical care, and for E.C.H.O, which provides food and clothing to people in need.

Since starting college, Baer has continued her community service by joining Alpha Chi Omega sorority and plans to help guide the new youth leadership in her home church youth group for the 2002 Souper Bowl campaign.

"The Souper Bowl of Caring is a great, mission-oriented drive. It is easy to do, really easy for the church. At my church, members could donate either a dollar or a can of food. It felt great to hand the check over to the outreach clinic and the cans to E.C.H.O.," said Baer. "It was nice to help them out. I hope the Souper Bowl only gets bigger and more involved."

The Souper Bowl of Caring committee, based in Columbia, S.C., has set a goal of raising more than $3.6 million and increasing the number of groups participating in the 2002 campaign. In the past campaign, 12,500 churches and other organizations, such as scout troops, raised $3.6 million.

Parishioners are asked to donate $1 each as they leave worship the morning of the big game. All money collected is sent directly from the congregation to a local soup kitchen, food bank or other charity the youth choose in their community. The 2002 Souper Bowl of Caring will take place on Sunday, Feb. 3, 2002. A Service Blitz, where the youth work at their chosen charity locations, will take place on Saturday, Feb. 2, 2002.

"Rachel Baer is a wonderful example of how youth can make a difference in their local community," said Rev. Brad Smith, Souper Bowl's executive director. "We want the young people to actually see how their fundraising efforts help those in need."

The Souper Bowl of Caring began in 1990 with a single prayer in a Columbia, S.C., youth group. In its first year, 22 churches in the Columbia area raised $5,700. Due to the initial success of the event, the Souper Bowl of Caring went statewide the following year, national in 1993 and then international in 1999. The effort has generated more than $13 million for charities since it began.

For a list of local organizations that participated in the 2001 drive, please see www.souperbowl.org.

(Note to Editors: A photo of Rachel Baer is available at wwww.souperbowl.org. We encourage you to write feature stories on the Souper Bowl to be published in the months leading up to the February event so your youth readers might be encouraged to participate in the 2002 campaign. Thank you!)