Youth Tackle Hunger With Feb. 6 ‘Souper Bowl of Caring’ Food Drive
On Saturday, Feb. 6, the day before the Super Bowl, Fox Valley area youth will be participating in the “Souper Bowl of Caring.” This annual nationwide event empowers young people to help those in their community who go hungry due to lack of resources.
For the 10th year, Fox Valley United Way is partnering with local grocery stores, and recruiting student volunteer and adult mentors who will greet shoppers and accept food and monetary donations. Shoppers are asked to consider purchasing one of a suggested list of items and leaving it in the Souper Bowl of Caring bin near the store’s exit. Or they may provide cash donations, each dollar donated gives the pantries the ability to purchase $8 worth of food from the Northern Illinois Food Bank.
These contributions provide significant support to the Aurora Area Interfaith Food Pantry and the Kendall County Food Pantry. Last year, this event gathered 3,200 pounds of food and collected more than $7,800.
“This event is a win-win-win for the community,” said Michael Meyer, Fox Valley United Way CEO. “Students get a chance to learn about hunger and how a few hours on a Saturday can make a huge difference for those in need. Food pantries receive much needed assistance after the holidays. And our participating grocery stores join in our mission to LIVE UNITED— reaching out a hand to folks in difficult financial circumstances.”
Once again this year, local Jewel-Osco stores and Prisco’s Family Market in Aurora, will be welcoming these volunteers. “The Souper Bowl of Caring is a premier event, and Jewel-Osco is excited once again to partner with the Fox Valley United Way,” said Jewel-Osco President Mike Withers. “Hunger remains an important issue and it’s essential that we do all we can to help stock the shelves of our local pantries.”
Fox Valley United Way volunteers will be at each participating food store from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. to accept donations. This year’s locations include Jewel-Osco stores on Eola Road and W. Galena Boulevard in Aurora; Veterans Parkway in Yorkville; Orchard Road and Route 30 in Oswego; and N. Route 47 in Sugar Grove; as well as Prisco’s Family Market on Prairie Street in Aurora.
“Last year’s event was our most successful ever providing a total of more than $63,000 worth of food that was made available to the neediest in Kane and Kendall counties,” says Meyer. “This year, we know that we can make an even greater impact, as our volunteers are truly passionate about addressing poverty in their own community.”
About the Fox Valley United Way
Founded in 1922, Fox Valley United Way provides support to 49 social service agencies serving the communities of Aurora, Big Rock, Bristol, Hinckley, Little Rock, Millbrook, Montgomery, Mooseheart, North Aurora, Oswego, Plano, Plattville, Sandwich, Sugar Grove and Yorkville.
About the Souper Bowl Weekend
For more than 20 years, the Souper Bowl of Caring has shown Americans that while we are preparing to enjoy the Super Bowl, we can help out those who don’t have a bowl of soup to eat. On Saturday, Feb. 6, 2016, student volunteers from across the country are coming together once again to fight hunger and poverty in their communities. 
2015 Souper Bowl Gallery
In cooperation with Jewel-Osco, Fox Valley United Way is working together to help fill the shelves at the Aurora Interfaith Food Pantry and the Kendall County Food Pantry. Each year these pantries experience a significant reduction in donations after the holidays, limiting their ability to help families who are struggling to avoid homelessness.
This year, youth volunteers and adult supervisors will be accepting monetary and food donations at 7 locations in and around Aurora and in Kendall County.
How You Can Help
- Host a food drive at your place of work. Ask employees to bring non-perishable food items to be gathered and delivered to the Fox Valley United Way office by Monday, Feb. 9, 2016. We can help you with posters and flyers for the event. We can also arrange a pick-up to make it easier. Click here for an updated needs list.
- Volunteer to collect food and monetary donations at a local Jewel Osco store on Saturday, Feb. 6. Two shift are available: 9 a.m. to noon, and noon to 3 p.m. Contact Deborah for more details here.
- Organize a SOUP POT Campaign. Each soup pot card is worth $1.00. By selling these cards at your business, school or church, every $1 collected turns into $8.00 worth of buying power for our local pantries to purchase food from the Northern Illinois Food Bank! One hundred percent of all contributions go directly to the food pantries and can significantly help to re-stock their shelves which have been depleted since the holidays. For more information on how to get supplies for a SOUP POT Campaign, contact Deborah here.
- Make a monetary donation. Checks should be made payable to the Fox Valley United Way – Souper Bowl of Caring Food Drive. Cash donations can also be brought to the Fox Valley United Way office located at 44 East Galena Blvd., Aurora, IL 60505. You can contribute by credit card on our website here.
- Go to your local Jewel-Osco store on Saturday, Feb. 6 between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. and drop off a cash donation or help fill the food bin.
