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My Souper Bowl Story!

Posted May 16th 2016 8:04pm by Caroline McManus
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"Don't let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity." -1 Timothy 4:12

Souper Bowl of Caring was something I grew up around. I was lucky enough to be raised in the founding church, Spring Valley Presbyterian. As a kid, I always looked up to the high school/middle school youth group. I can remember so clearly the infamous silver soup pots that were held each Souper Bowl Sunday by the doors asking for donations, along with all the hype around the organization in the weeks to come before the big day. I longed for more answers; to really understand what this "Souper Bowl" thing was about.

When I got to the middle school age, I was approached to join my church's Souper Bowl of Caring advisory board, and that is where my participation with the program took off! What attracted me so much to the organization was the fact that even though I was in middle school, I could still make a tangible difference.
I planned my local service blitz along with the other members of the board, volunteered in the community, and along the way I completely fell in love with Souper Bowl. Little did I know that this was only a taste of what was about to be a majority of my future.

I learned about the National Youth Advisory Board from a fellow church member. I applied and found out a couple months later that I was accepted; I'd never been happier. But I must say: I had no idea what I was getting into. NYAB flew me out to Houston, Texas and threw me into a room with a bunch of strangers who I was supposed to hang out with for a weekend and talk about Souper Bowl. This room of strangers, however, became family in a matter of minutes. Throughout the weekend we bounced ideas back and forth about how to make the program stronger and how to bring back a solid game plan to our individual communities. We volunteered at a homeless shelter in Houston; a hands on experience that was so incredibly eye opening for me. The weekend taught me that this what who I was; a leader who is passionate about serving others around me.

Since leaving Houston, the NYAB group has been so awesome in the way that they have kept in touch and supported each other's goals and aspirations. I've never had such a strong support group and can honestly say half of the things I did through Souper Bowl in Columbia would not have been possible if it wasn't for the way they all so greatly influenced me. Being a member of the National Youth Advisory Board has by far been one of the best decisions I have ever made and I would highly recommend the experience to anyone looking to continue their urge to serve.

I have never seen or been a part of an organization like SBOC. No matter your age, you mean something and CAN make a difference. One look at this program and that is exactly what you see. Souper Bowl of Caring will forever hold a special place in my heart, despite the end of my term with NYAB. I plan to still be heavily involved in the program in Columbia and I can not wait to see what the future for Souper Bowl holds for South Carolina, Texas, and the rest of the nation!

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2020 Souper Bowl of Caring 30th Anniversary Tackle Hunger Texas LuncheonAustin, TXColumbia, SCHouston, TXNorth Texas

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