Gospel Mission kicks off 'Butter Bowl'

Niagara Gospel Mission Kicks Off First Annual Butter Bowl Competition, May 2025
“We’d like to churn up enough interest about our need for butter that we
cover its cost for a full year,” said Executive Director Rev. John Cooper Jr.

Niagara Falls, New York—May 1, 2025, Niagara Gospel Mission is kicking off its first annual Butter Bowl competition to collect a year’s worth of butter. “We’ve cooked this up to fill our freezer with all the butter we’ll use in one year at the Mission,” explained Rev. John Cooper Jr., executive director of the Mission.

Cooper said the Mission uses an average of 10 pounds of butter each week for cooking or putting on the Mission’s dining tables. “This single line item in our food budget costs about $35 a week or $1800 a year. If we can churn up enough interest about this need and get butter donated, we can use that $1,800 for other needs.”

The Butter Bowl competition extends throughout May. Donations coming into the Mission, 1317 Portage Road in Niagara Falls, will be recorded. At the end of the month, the individual, church, group or business donating the most butter will receive The Butter Bowl trophy, which they can display until next year’s competition.

“It’s for fun,” Cooper said, “but it’s also a real need. Each day, the Mission provides meals for 120 homeless and impoverished individuals. We run out of butter a lot!”

To sign up to participate reach out to Colton Lackey at clackey@niagaragrm.org or at (716) 205-8805 ext.105 , bring donations Monday-Saturday, 7 a.m-5 p.m. and request a Butter Bowl competition form. For more information, use the contact information above. Learn more about the Mission at NiagaraGospelMission.org or on Facebook @ NiagaraGospelMission.