The 9th Annual SOUPer Bowl was a resounding success, bringing together more than 100 supporters for an evening of community, creativity and compassion. Hosted at Bowing Oaks, the event raised nearly $30,000 to help provide hunger-free weekends for children in North Florida.

Guests enjoyed a wide variety of soups crafted by talented local chefs and culinary teams, all of whom generously donated their time and signature recipes to support the mission of Blessings in a Backpack. The event also raised meaningful awareness of the need for weekend nutrition support in the community.

A highlight of the evening was the friendly competition among participating chefs. Congratulations to the students in the culinary program at Frank H. Peterson Academies for taking home the trophy for Best Soup. Their creativity and skill impressed both judges and attendees.

We are also grateful to our sponsors, including Manifest and Sysco, whose partnership helped make the evening possible.

All proceeds from the SOUPer Bowl support Blessings in a Backpack’s work to provide weekend food packs to children facing food insecurity in North Florida. It costs $175 to provide a child with bags of food for an entire school year — and a $175 ticket purchased two admissions to this year’s event, directly connecting a night out with a year of nourishment.

Because of the generosity of chefs, sponsors, and attendees, more children in our community will have the nourishment they need to return to school on Monday, ready to learn.

Thank you to everyone who made the 9th Annual SOUPer Bowl a night to remember. We look forward to gathering around the table again next year.