Virtual SOUPer Bowl Raises 4x Goal for Light House

Organizers of the 16th Annual SOUPer Bowl Fundraiser for the Light House Homeless Prevention Centerset a modest $2000 goal for this year’s event based on the pandemic’s challenging financial circumstances faced by many and the need to hold the event online for the second consecutive year. So, when the tally from the week-long online fundraising campaign came in at $8700, there was much celebration.

“The community really stepped up for the Light House,” said Scott Shelton, pastor at Heritage Baptist. “The in-person SOUPer Bowl lunch normally brings in between three to four thousand dollars. As we watched the online donations tally up over the week, we were thrilled and tremendously thankful.”

Since 2007, Heritage Baptist Church (1740 Forest Drive, Annapolis) has set aside a day to serve bowls of soup in exchange for donations to the Light House Homeless Prevention Center. Always scheduled on the afternoon of the NFL championship Super Bowl game, the SOUPer Bowl Lunch caught community attention and began what has become a tradition in Annapolis.

The 2022 SOUPer Bowl ran from February 6-13 online at HeritageLoves.com. To entice donations, 9 community leaders from business, public service and the food industry shared their favorite soup recipes on the website. These recipes will remain published through the end of the month. Recipes were contributed by:

Delegate Shaneka Henson, Esq. (MD House of Delegates District 30A): Chili

Andrew Parks (Restaurant Owner): Chicken Tortilla Soup

Chef Shannon Costello (Registered Dietitian Nutritionist, Culinary Coach, Blogger): Beef Minestrone

Tom O'Leary (Owner- Chevy's Annapolis & finalist NBC's "Baking It" Cooking Show): Avgolemono

Chef Zachary Pope (Co-founder of SOUPer Bowl and noted local chef): Clam Chowder

Jared Littmann (Owner K&B True Value): Fresh Corn Chowder

Brian Shallcross (Bowie Baysox General Manager): Baysox to Buffalo Soup

Alderwoman Elly Tierney (Annapolis, Ward 1): Apple Cinnamon Butternut Squash Soup

Elvia Thompson (Environmental Consultant and Annapolis Green former director): Mamita’s Cuban Chicken Soup

Heritage Baptist is an affiliate congregational partner of the Light House. For more information, contact the church office at 410.263.6680 or see heritageloves.com