Massapequa School Rallies for Annual Souper Bowl Food Drive

Berner Middle School's Chiefs Challenge Club organizes successful donation campaign to benefit Long Island Cares food bank.

Published on Feb. 12, 2026

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As the annual Souper Bowl food drive came to an end on Feb. 6 at Berner Middle School in the Massapequa School District, the school community contributed hundreds of non-perishable food items such as canned goods, cereal, pasta, and soup. All donations will be given to the Harry Chapin Food Bank at Long Island Cares.

Why it matters

The Souper Bowl food drive is a long-standing tradition at Berner Middle School that engages students and staff in giving back to the local community. With food insecurity remaining a persistent issue on Long Island, these types of school-led donation campaigns play an important role in supporting regional food banks and helping families in need.

The details

The Chiefs Challenge Club at Berner Middle School organized the seven-day food drive, with students and staff able to place their donations in boxes representing the two Super Bowl teams. The school community responded generously, filling the Seattle Seahawks box significantly higher than the New England Patriots box. In addition, the Birch Lane Elementary School PTA also participated by placing donation boxes at their school.

  • The annual Souper Bowl food drive took place from January 31 to February 6, 2026.
  • The donations were collected and delivered to Long Island Cares on February 6, 2026.

The players

Berner Middle School

A public middle school in the Massapequa School District on Long Island, New York.

Chiefs Challenge Club

A student organization at Berner Middle School that organized the Souper Bowl food drive.

Harry Chapin Food Bank

A regional food bank operated by Long Island Cares that will receive the donations collected during the Souper Bowl food drive.

Birch Lane Elementary School PTA

The parent-teacher association at a local elementary school that also participated in the Souper Bowl food drive.

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What they’re saying

“It's really good that we're helping people who need it. It's really awesome how people showed they care and donated a lot of food.”

— Michael Despagno, Seventh grade student and Chiefs Challenge treasurer (Long Island Press)

“Long Island Cares provided the boxes and also would pick up the donations at the end of the drive. They noted that all of the food benefits local families.”

— Caroline Glynn and Juliette Happe, Chiefs Challenge Club advisers (Long Island Press)

What’s next

Long Island Cares will distribute the collected food donations to local families and individuals in need across the region.

The takeaway

The annual Souper Bowl food drive at Berner Middle School demonstrates the power of community-driven initiatives to support local food banks and address hunger in the surrounding area. The enthusiastic participation of students, staff, and other local schools highlights the importance of engaging young people in charitable efforts that make a tangible difference in people's lives.