Operation Blessing – Restoring Hope

Restoring Hope

The Situation

Operation Blessing International Relief and Development Corporation (OBI) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, humanitarian organization that provides short-term medical, hunger and disaster relief and development assistance to people in need in the United States and around the world.

In 1996, Operation Blessing International’s “Supper Bowl” was officially sanctioned by the Phoenix Super Bowl host committee and 240,000 pounds of food were distributed. Nine years later (2003) Operation Blessing’s Supper Bowl IX was headed to San Diego as an Official Sanctioned Event of the San Diego Super Bowl XXXVII Host Committee.

Being granted “Official Sanctioned Event” status one might assume all the tools, resources and contacts to pull off a large scale event were part of the package.  And, one would be wrong.  In fact sometimes it’s harder because you’re competing for media awareness and sponsorship dollars in the middle of a town getting ready for a Super Bowl game with all the media hype and attention on football players and celebrities, not the needy and the poor.

While preparing for the upcoming Supper Bowl event a marketing manager for Operation Blessings shared his travel plans to San Diego with a colleague when he was told about Always Positive.  His colleague said “I know these guys – they can help”.

The Opportunity

Since Always Positive was all about bringing people and organizations together to find ways to make “Hope” tangible, the decision to help was easy.  Operation Blessing needed a “home away from home”, a place to take meetings, but more importantly they needed “connections”.  After nine years many of the operational processes had become perfected, but the logistical issues would always change with each new Super Bowl city, and so would the relationships.

Once we knew the need it was easy to serve as “connectors” and marketing support.  Always Positive introduced Operation Blessing managers to key contacts in the city from the San Diego Chargers to potential sponsors that could underwrite the event and even served as a vendor by providing the official “Supper Bow IX” t-shirt for the staff and volunteers at cost.

The Results

Here is their story in their own words…

Grocery Bags Are Worth A Thousand Words

Andy tugged on his grandmother’s arm to hurry. In the distance, he saw long strings of balloons waving in the San Diego breeze. Soon Andy and Maria heard music drifting from the City Heights Park. Not having any money, the two cautiously walked in unaware of the surprises that were waiting for them!

On the Saturday morning of January 18th, Maria worriedly looked into the empty cupboards. Times are tough. Maria’s husband is in jail. She spends her days caring for the three grandchildren while her daughter works hard to provide for the family. Taking her five-year-old grandson Andy by the hand, she decided to take a walk and think. When coming to City Heights Park volunteers welcomed the two into Operation Blessing’s Supper Bowl IX!

Maria was astonished at what surrounded her. Over 1,000 volunteers were insuring that more than 11,500 adult and child guests were having a great time at this free Official Sanctioned Event of the San Diego Super Bowl XXXVII Host Committee. People were able to choose from over 20,000 donated coats, have their hair cut, be pampered with a manicure, and get their blood pressure checked under a large yellow and white-striped tent.

Over in the far right corner children could climb on several large blown-up obstacle courses, get their faces painted and get balloon sculptures by clowns. Looking to her far left, Maria saw children and teens taking part in one of several football clinics taught by former Pittsburgh Steelers’ Robin Cole. However, right behind this grandmother there was a line for free groceries!

Two bags of food were soon handed to Maria. She opened them up and saw pasta, soap, onions, potatoes, yogurt as well as canned fruit and vegetables. “I know whatever I have it’s because of God,” commented the Spanish-speaking woman. She was one of 2,950 families that attended Supper Bowl IX. Every one of the approximately 5,900 bags of groceries where given during the course of the event.

As a first-time volunteer, Cyrilla bagged and gave out groceries. “[The Supper Bowl] was amazing,” she said. “God laid it on my heart to volunteer.”

Her husband Curtis helped with security and added, “I wanted to do a good thing and I’ve seen a lot of happy faces.”

As a single parent working and going to school, another woman named Maria was one of those happy faces. Lifting up her groceries she commented, “This bag is worth a thousand words.”

Operation Blessing was pleased to thank a local volunteer team, Ridgeway International, the City of San Diego, numerous companies that donated product, churches including Foothills Christian Fellowship, The Rock Church, and Horizon Christian Fellowship as well as the professional athletes and countless volunteers who helped us in caring for those living in San Diego’s low-income households. Since 1995, more than 912,000 pounds of donated food products have been distributed to low-income families during Supper Bowl events.