What could be better than a hot bowl of soup on a cold wintry day?
How about a hot bowl of soup that makes the world a better place? In January, as a prelude to the Super Bowl, Indianapolis chefs pitted their culinary skills against each other in the annual Souper Bowl.
The best part? The January fundraising event benefited two renowned Indiana organizations and Regions’ clients, Second Helpings and ArtMix.
Second Helpings rescues food destined to be discarded and uses it to produce 4,000 meals daily. The nourishing fare is then distributed to more than 85 social service agencies that help people in need.
ArtMix transforms the lives of people with disabilities through the creation of art. The organization serves more than 6,000 people annually.
Souper Bowls raised money to support Second Helpings’ food rescue, hunger relief and culinary job training efforts.
“This will send more than $6,000 (in) meals into Central Indiana, saving our community around $24,000 in food costs,” says Rob Peoni, communications and marketing manager for Second Helpings. Held at the Second Helpings’ facility, Souper Bowls provided the organization’s culinary students with the opportunity to work beside some of the city’s finest chefs.
Associates from Regions played a role, thanks to the bank’s relationship with the two nonprofits.
“The support of those like Regions Bank is critical to our ability to fight hunger and poverty in Central Indiana,” Peoni added.
Prior to Souper Bowls, one way Regions worked with Second Helpings most recently was by nominating the organization for the 2017 What a Difference a Day Makes contest, which it won. Peoni also thanked ArtMix artists for donating their hand-painted, glazed soup bowls, sold at the event along with the soup.
Kim Borges, Area Marketing Manager for Regions in Indiana, said the work of the nonprofits is vital.
“With food insecurity impacting one in every five Hoosier residents, we welcomed the opportunity to support Second Helpings and help address this pressing community issue,” Borges said. “Having the opportunity to integrate the arts and collaborate with a second nonprofit in a creative manner only enhanced the relationships for everyone involved.”
The president and CEO of ArtMix appreciated the event’s collaborative nature as well.
“The Souper Bowls collaboration among ArtMix, Regions and Second Helpings is a model of community partnership,” said Gayle M. Holtman. “It combined the strengths of all three organizations in a way that benefited the entire community, as well as all three organizations. Regions covered the cost of materials to make the bowls, ArtMix participants designed and created the bowls, and Second Helpings sold the bowls, raising funds to support hunger relief.”
Holtman added that because people with disabilities are often seen as unable, they are often only on the receiving end of relationships. But Souper Bowls provided a different dynamic, one that positioned the students on the “able” side of the interaction, helping raise funds for an important cause. Added Holtman: the event was “transformative for both ArtMix students and the entire community.”