'Soup Sunday' Serves Up Love for Youth Villages | Community Spirit

"It's amazing what soup can do," say the good folks at Campbell's Soup.The catchy phrase will ring true at the 23rd annual "Soup Sunday" at FedExForum from 11am to 2pm on Sunday, February 19th. The event will unite generous, big-hearted Mid-Southerners with hearty soups, gumbos and other delicacies from many of Memphis' leading restaurants. The end result will be a splendid fund raiser for the mentoring program at Youth Villages, one of America's leading service agencies in the care of young people.  Specifically, the monies raised by Soup Sunday will help ensure that children in Foster Care receive mentoring from adults who volunteer through Youth Villages. The funds will pay for training volunteer mentors, some group activities, and other costs associated with the program. Soup Sunday raised $45,000 last year through the admission price of $20 for adults and $10 for children paid at the door. Discounted tickets can be obtained online at www.soupsunday.org until February 16th. Children ages 4 and under are free.

Youth Villages which has its own motto, "The force for families." The agency has been recognized by The White House and Harvard Business School as one of America's most promising, results-oriented non-profits. Youth Villages now serves 17,000 children in eleven states including Tennessee, Alabama, Georgia, Mississippi, Washington, DC, Arkansas, Indiana, New Hampshire, Florida, Massachusetts, North Carolina, Oregon and Texas. The agency strives to keep troubled children and families united through program in homes. It also does extensive work with foster children and has a housing program for vulnerable young adults as they transition out of foster care and into life as independent adults. Youth Villages operates significant residential programs in the Memphis area as well as Linden, TN, Oregon and Georgia. Youth Villages also services the adoption process, provides mentoring programs and has special focus efforts for children in crisis.

Children will find fun activities at Soup Sunday, including Magic Mr. Nick in the Kid Zone. Supporters who wish to have an ultimate Soup Sunday experience can find special treatment in the FedExForum Club level where specialty items will be offered at the VIP Souper Party.  Learn more at www.soupsunday.org