Orthodox Christians battle hunger on Super Bowl Sunday
01/28/2011
BALTIMORE, MD [IOCC] — When the Green Bay Packers face the Pittsburgh Steelers in Super Bowl XLV on February 6, Orthodox Christians throughout the US will be tackling hunger in their parishes through the “Souper Bowl of Caring.”
The world is facing its worst hunger crisis in half a century, according to Bread for the World. An estimated 925 million people are hungry, including almost 16,000 children who die each day from hunger-related causes — one child every five seconds.
“On the field the game will come down to a battle between two historic franchises,” said Constantine M. Triantafilou, executive director of International Orthodox Christian Charities [IOCC]. “But long after the winner is determined — in small fields throughout Kosovo, Albania, the West Bank, Ethiopia, and elsewhere that IOCC serves — the fight against hunger will continue through projects that help people to produce food in sustainable ways for their families.”
The “Souper Bowl of Caring” is observed each year on Super Bowl Sunday as a way to mobilize youth to fight hunger and poverty. Young people collect monetary and food donations in their parishes and then give them directly to charities of their choice.
Started in a church in South Carolina, the Souper Bowl of Caring includes participants of all faiths. IOCC has been encouraging Orthodox Christian youth to participate in the service activity for the past thirteen years.
More information on the “Souper Bowl of Caring” may be found on IOCC’s website at www.iocc.org/souperbowl.
Established in March 1992 as the official humanitarian organization of the Standing Conference of Canonical Orthodox Bishops in the Americas, IOCC is a member of the ACT Alliance, a global coalition of churches and agencies engaged in development, humanitarian assistance and advocacy.
