Souper Bowl of Caring 2012 Begins

HOUSTON - As the Houston Texans make a push toward the NFL championship, the Texans cheerleaders and mascot Toro were among the visitors at the Houston Food Bank to energize volunteers taking part in the annual Souper Bowl of Caring.

Troops from the Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts, along with other student volunteers, sorted non-perishable donated food items and decorated Souper Bowl of Caring banners.

The pep rally for the Souper Bowl of Caring took place Wednesday for the first time at the Houston Food Bank building on Portwall Street in east Houston. The building opened to the public in 2011.

Volunteers from H-E-B, Kroger and Randalls stores also helped in the Souper Bowl of Caring kickoff event effort.

Super Bowl of Caring Houston 2012 is part of a greater national hunger relief initiative that began Wednesday and ends Sunday, Feb. 5, when the NFL championship game takes place.

More than 1,300 groups generated more than $2,150,000 in cash and food items for Houston-area charities as part of the Souper Bowl of Caring program.

On the Web:

Souper Bowl of Caring -- http://www.souperbowl.org/hubs/Houston

Houston Food Bank -- http://www.houstonfoodbank.org/