Danville—The churches of the South District Baptist Association collected a total of 49,306 food and housekeeping items and distributed them during their 2015 “Souper Bowl” Food Drive.

The tally was almost double last year’s total of 26,543 items. Total value of the items collected exceeds $25,000.

Part of the motivation for this incredible total came from Jason Gray’s song, “With Every Act of Love” as well as the biblical text of1 John 3:18-19: “Little children, we must not love with word or speech, but with truth and action.

South District Association has been conducting its Souper Bowl for six years and has collected approximately 140,000 items. Goods are collected in exciting ways.

Sometimes churches challenge each other. For example, First Baptist, Danville, and Parksville Baptist competed. Sometimes, men compete against women or different age groups compete within a church.

One of the most innovative ways of obtaining food in the “2015 Food Bowl” was

done by Parksville Baptists. The church adopted a “Fill the Van “activity at the Danville Wal-Mart Super Center. Wal-Mart customers purchased food and donated it to the Food Drive.

By utilizing this tactic, Parksville Baptist was able to beat First Baptist. Parksville collected over 135 items per person.

Another incentive was the use of two “Golden Can Awards.” One award goes to a large church that collects the most items. This award went to Parksville, which collected more than 20,000 items.

Another “Golden Can Award” goes to a small church that collects the most per capita items. This year’s winner was Gravel Switch Baptist Church.

The items collected were distributed to an East Kentucky food bank as well as to several area food banks. God’s Appalachian Partnership in food insecure Eastern Kentucky received more than 19,000 items.

John Morris, director at GAP stated, “God provided two to three months of food for distribution, thanks to our faithful partners from South District.”

Just last week during distribution day, a GAP client accepted Christ.

New Hope Food Bank in Danville received in excess of 18,000 items.

Victoria Murphy, director of New Hope said, “Our walls are swelling from the wonderful donations. Thank you so much, South District.”

The balance was divided among pantries at Gethsemane Baptist and First Baptist churches in Boyle County and pantries in Garrard and Casey counties.

Joan Mann, who serves as director of the South District Baptist” Souper Bowl” Food Drive, invites churches of other denominations to join in collecting food for the Souper Bowl. For additional information, contact Mann at (859) 236-4314 or Jim Clontz, director of missions for South District, at (859) 238-7624. (WR)