[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 82 (Wednesday, June 13, 2001)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1084-E1085]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


   CHARITABLE GIVING IN SOUTH CAROLINA AND THE SOUPER BOWL OF CARING

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. FLOYD SPENCE

                           of south carolina

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, June 13, 2001

  Mr. SPENCE. Mr. Speaker, I rise to bring to the attention of the 
House two articles relating to involvement in charitable giving by 
South Carolinians. The first article, from the May/June 2001 issue of 
Columbia Metropolitan Magazine, is entitled, `Gracious Giving--South 
Carolina is High on the `Generosity Index`.' This article focuses on 
the results of a recently published national survey by the National 
Center for Charitable Statistics, of the Urban Institute, which found 
that South Carolina is ranked 37th nationally in adjusted gross income, 
yet, it is ``10th among all states in generosity to charitable 
organizations.'' The article contains a photograph, which was taken of 
Reverend Brad Smith and members of the congregation of Spring Valley 
Presbyterian Church, in Columbia, South Carolina, as donations were 
being collected, at the doors of the Church, for the Souper Bowl of 
Caring. Reverend Smith is the founder of the Souper Bowl of Caring, 
which raised $4 million through 15,000 congregations on Super Bowl 
Sunday, this year. The second article,which I am incorporating in my 
remarks, is from the Winter 1998-99 issue of Sandlapper Magazine, and 
it is entitled, ``From One Small Seed--A Super Bowl Sunday Charity 
Started by Columbia Youth Quickly Went National.'' This article 
provides an interesting account of the development of the Souper Bowl 
of Caring, from the initial effort in Columbia, South Carolina, in 
1990, through its growth to all fifty States, as well as Puerto Rico 
and Canada, today. During the past eleven years, the Souper Bowl of 
Caring has raised $14 million for the benefit of needy persons.
  Mr. Speaker, as the Congress and the Bush Administration address 
initiatives concerning the efforts of religious groups to improve the 
lives of those who are in need, I believe that the following articles 
should serve to inspire each of us. At this point, I am pleased to 
include the previously referenced articles for the attention of the 
house.

          [From Columbia Metropolitan Magazine, May/June 2001]

  Gracious Giving--South Carolina Is High on the ``Generosity Index''

                        (By Reba Hull Campbell)

       South Carolinians are a generous lot, according to a 
     national study that compares charitable giving by individuals 
     in all 50 states. The Urban Institute's National Center for 
     Charitable Statistics ranks South Carolina 10th among all 
     states in comparing charitable giving to adjusted gross 
     income.
       The Institute's ``Generosity Index'' puts South Carolina in 
     the top 10 most giving states, along with fellow Bible Belt 
     states of Mississippi, Arkansas, Louisiana, Tennessee and 
     Alabama. Others in the top 10 include Utah, Oklahoma, South 
     Dakota and North Dakota. Northeastern states of New Jersey, 
     New Hampshire and Massachusetts fell at the bottom of the 
     list.
       According to the study, South Carolina falls 37th 
     nationally in adjusted average gross income, but ranks 10th 
     among all states in generosity to charitable organizations. 
     The study was based on each state's average adjusted gross 
     income compared to average itemized charitable deductions.
       The average charitable contribution by South Carolinians is 
     $3,469. That's compared to Mississippi ranked 49th in 
     adjusted gross income, at $4,070 and Massachusetts, ranked 
     number four in income, with just $2,645 in average 
     contributions. In a state as small, rural and, in many areas, 
     poor, as South Carolina, it's logical to pose the question of 
     why its citizens have such a high giving average when they 
     have less to give than individuals in many wealthier states.
       As reflected in its previous studies on charitable giving, 
     the Urban Institute says income level doesn't necessarily 
     parallel charitable giving. Leaders in several Midlands are 
     non-profit organizations agree, saying that while good 
     economic times do encourage increased giving, South 
     Carolinians have consistently shown their inclination to be 
     cognizant of the needs of others and support charitable 
     giving through religious and human service organizations. The 
     Urban Institute found that over half the funds raised for the 
     more than 2,000 registered charitable groups in South 
     Carolina go to health and human service or religious 
     organizations, reflecting South Carolina citizens' 
     willingness to help their neighbors in need.
       The survey found that Bible Belt states, plus Utah, were 
     the most generous in their giving habits. These states are 
     home to strong populations of evangelical Christians and 
     Mormons, both of whom tend to tithe at higher levels. 
     Northern states, which rank lower on the giving scale, are 
     home to more Catholics, who Urban Institute experts say tend 
     to give at lower levels.
       Strong religious roots in South Carolina definitely 
     influence giving habits, says Mac Bennett, executive director 
     of the Central Carolina Community Foundation. ``We are part 
     of the Bible Belt and a significant amount of the giving is 
     to religious organizations. Also, I think religious 
     influences teach stewardship and a sensitivity to those with 
     special needs that are not met by government.''
       Erin Hardwick, executive director of the South Carolina 
     Association of Non-profit Organizations, agrees. ``A 
     correlation exists between involvement in religious 
     organizations and the level of giving. Of all charitable 
     contributions, more than 60 percent go to religious 
     organizations.''
       A study by The Independent Sector, a national organization 
     supporting research and excellence for non-profits, 
     reinforces this strong relationship tying religious 
     involvement to charitable giving. Nationally, the average 
     donation to religious organizations increased in current 
     dollars from $686 in 1995 to $1,002 in 1998.
       Mac says the fact that South Carolina falls high on the 
     ``generosity index'' is not a surprise. ``I think 
     philanthropy in our state is founded on this simple sense of 
     responsibility to help other people, whether it's 
     volunteering, sharing a meal or donating financial resources. 
     There is a concern for human kind--philo, the Latin root, 
     translates to ``for the love of man.''
       Joan Fail, executive director of Communities in Schools in 
     Columbia, agrees and makes similar observations about local 
     giving trends from her experiences at CIS and previously with 
     the Nurturing Center. ``I've seen very strong support from 
     individual giving in the 11 years I've been in the non-profit 
     sector. Whether it's a good economy or bad, South Carolinians 
     are just giving people.''
       Erin believes South Carolina's recent strong charitable 
     giving record can be attributed to two factors--a strong 
     economy and the fact that people give to causes close to 
     their communities and families.
       ``A strong economy, including a decline in unemployment, 
     leads to increased household

[[Page E1085]]

     giving. The level of giving is affected by a person's concern 
     about the future, and the strong economy has reduced anxiety 
     about the future,'' Erin says.
       She points to the Independent Sector study, noting that 
     people do tend to give more as their financial security 
     increases. The decision to give is often influenced by 
     whether individuals have sufficient disposable income. On a 
     national level, this report indicates an increase in the 
     percentage of respondents who reported giving a larger 
     amount, up to 24 percent in 1999 from 21 percent in 1996.
       While good economic conditions do make for better times in 
     the non-profit sector, Joan does caution against a giver's 
     income level as the sole organizations when identifying 
     potential donors.
       ``What always surprises me is that I find those people who 
     have less disposable income actually give a much higher 
     percentage of what they have than those who have more,'' Joan 
     says. ``That has taught me many valuable lessons, and I never 
     make an assumption about whether someone may give based on 
     income. I've seen studies that indicate people actually give 
     more if they pay higher taxes rather than lower taxes, 
     disputing the assumption that lower taxes mean increased 
     disposable income for charitable contributions.''
       So today, with the apparent plateau of economic conditions 
     around the corner, should non-profits be concerned with 
     declining contributions? Not necessarily. Erin says, ``People 
     give to people. They give to local concerns or causes in 
     which they have some connection. It's a personal decision.''
       She notes that three factors generally influence people to 
     give to charitable causes--being asked by someone, through 
     participation in an organization or through a family member 
     or relative. Even in an economic downturn, these personal 
     factors are unlikely to change.

                                  ____
                                  

             [From the Sandlapper magazine, Winter 1998-99]

  From One Small Seed . . . . a Super Bowl Sunday Charity Started by 
                  Columbia Youth Quickly Went National

                        (By Margaret N. O'Shea)

       The Rev. Brad Smith often thinks of the tiny seed he tossed 
     into his senior youth group at Spring Valley Presbyterian 
     Church in Columbia that winter Sunday nine years ago, because 
     its phenomenal growth has changed his life and the lives of 
     countless others. It was a simple line in a prayer: ``Lord, 
     as we enjoy the Super Bowl football game, help us to be 
     mindful of those among us without even a bowl of soup to 
     eat.'' But such seeds fall on fertile ground in the generous 
     South, where people instinctively respond to a neighbor's 
     need--or a stranger's--with casseroles and kindness.
       Not even the sower could envision how that single seed 
     would flourish. But youth in the church seized the notion and 
     nurtured it. By the 1990 Super Bowl, they had mobilized it. 
     By the 1990 Super Bowl, they had mobilized other young people 
     in 22 Columbia-area churches to collect one dollar each and 
     cans of food from worshipers as they left to go home, filling 
     soup kettles with the donations for local food banks and soup 
     kitchens. They scored $5,700 and vowed to top it the next 
     year. They did . . . over and over again. In time, more than 
     125 churches in Richland and Lexington counties were familiar 
     with the kettles and bowls used to collect donations, and 
     churches in other states were borrowing the idea. In 1995, 
     what the Spring Valley youth enthusiastically dubbed ``The 
     Souper Bowl'' went national.
       With its roots in midland South Carolina, it is today a 
     charity branching nationwide and affirming the miracles that 
     can occur when enough people give just a little. Last Super 
     Bowl Sunday, it inspired people in all 50 states and Canada 
     to toss $1.7 million into soup cauldrons at churches and 
     community centers to help feed the hungry or meet other needs 
     in their local neighborhoods. Now, every year while Americans 
     are riveted on a football game that determines a national 
     championship, more and more of them also focus, however 
     briefly, on the Souper Bowl, which defines a national 
     conscience. It is a simple way for ordinary people to make a 
     difference.
       The challenge has been to keep simple a sweeping movement 
     that now has thousands of volunteers, at least 8,000 local 
     branches, corporate sponsors and 10 professional football 
     teams behind it, and high-tech support to keep track of 
     donations. All the money remains in the communities where it 
     is collected; local groups choose where to give the cash and 
     food. Totals are reported to a phone bank in Columbia or 
     logged on the Internet.
       The numbers help participants see more clearly what their 
     own contributions, however small, can do when added to 
     others'. ``In an age when young people are bombarded with 
     cynicism, it's important for them to know that by God's 
     grace, they can make a difference in the world,'' Smith says. 
     ``We are so divided as a country in so many ways. Republican 
     and Democrat. Rich and poor. Black and white. Young and old. 
     The Super Bowl is a rivalry. But our Souper Bowl transcends 
     differences. It brings diverse people with different 
     backgrounds, different opinions, different faiths, together 
     for a common purpose, and together they make a tremendous 
     difference. Just knowing that changes the way many of our 
     young people choose to live the rest of their lives.''
       On the Internet--and wherever the Souper Bowl of Caring, as 
     it's now called, is discussed--the football images are 
     tempting. Youth carry the ball. Donors score. Teams win. A 
     youth group in Virginia is called for clipping after 
     challenging their pastor to shave his beard when their 
     collections reach a goal. Some churches blitz their 
     communities with flyers and letters and phone calls. On the 
     Web site, donated by South Carolina SuperNet, football icons 
     offer links to a playbook, coaches' corner, player profiles, 
     and a chance to score a touchdown on a hunger quiz. Prior 
     years' statistics are retired numbers, of course.
       But for Brad Smith, the mustard seed is the image to 
     remember. He recalls the half dozen teenagers who showed up 
     after school to brainstorm about the first Souper Bowl. Each 
     had friends who attended other churches and schools and 
     agreed to call them. One by one, those churches joined the 
     effort. Later, as young people went away to college or moved 
     to other cities, they would in the same way get their new 
     churches involved in giving. Each year would bring younger 
     brothers and sisters of kids who'd been involved earlier on, 
     stuffing envelopes with press releases for out-of-state 
     newspapers, making phone calls, manning the phone bank, 
     distributing posters, holding the cauldrons.
       When the Souper Bowl first began to spread to other states, 
     it was still through the word-of-mouth concept. Pennsylvania, 
     the state that always comes closest to South Carolina's 
     contributions and once has even surpassed us, began 
     participating after a Lutheran layman in his 80s heard about 
     the program while vacationing in Myrtle Beach and took the 
     idea home.
       Laura Bykowski, a Spring Valley volunteer who ``retired'' 
     from a marketing career to raise a family, has used her 
     child's naptime to ply those marketing skills for the Souper 
     Bowl. As a result, professional football players agreed to 
     make public service announcements and nearly a dozen teams, 
     including the Carolina Panthers and Atlanta Falcons, threw 
     their considerable weight behind the Souper Bowl. National 
     Football League star Reggie White and Campbell's Soup 
     launched a nationwide promotional campaign, including radio 
     ads, posters and a press conference in San Diego the 
     Wednesday before the 1998 big game.
       Columbian Jim Antley designed and maintains the Web page. 
     Some 30 volunteers help enter data. Frank Imhoff compiled the 
     database.
       But it's still the energy of youth that drives the Souper 
     Bowl of Caring. Local tradition is at least one all-night 
     workathon, where young people gather at the Spring Valley 
     church social hall to share pizza, watch a Monty Python 
     movie, stuff envelopes and lick stamps until dawn. And youth 
     make up the bulk of the volunteers who do the actual work on 
     Super Bowl Sunday.
       Last year, about a thousand churches and organizations used 
     the Internet to report their donations, but seven times that 
     number telephoned on Super Bowl Sunday, calling into a 50-
     line phone bank contributed by Blue Cross/Blue Shield. Other 
     companies have offered support and expertise, usually because 
     someone who works there has asked. Some communities get 
     corporations to match what individuals give.
       Yet, the focus remains small. The idea still is to ask for 
     only a dollar, only a can of food. If the amount collected is 
     only about what it takes to pay for a 30-second commercial in 
     the televised football game that day, it is still a 
     monumental blessing for the charities chosen to receive that 
     bounty.
       With the phenomenal growth of the Souper Bowl, its original 
     organizers have insisted on maintaining the grassroots 
     character. ``We believe the idea is a gift from God,'' Brad 
     Smith says. ``It is our task to be good stewards of it.''

     

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