DENVER (CBS4) – The United Methodist Churches in Denver have challenged their colleagues in Seattle to a Super Bowl Food Drive competition collecting for food banks, and it’s grown larger than anyone could have imagined.

Pastor Brad Laurvick’s “United in Orange” challenge now involves members of more than 170 churches. Laurvick is pastor of Highlands United Methodist Church. He’s recruited churches from all over Colorado all the way to Montana and, of course, Omaha, Neb.

Laurvick even cornered the unitedinorange.org website so that donors would have an easy way to connect and find out what and where to contribute.

Seattle’s “United In Blue” food drive stretches to Alaska.

The food drive collection goes until midnight Super Bowl Sunday. Laurvick wants fans to have a meaningful way to share their team spirit off the field and help fill shelves at area food banks.

“Running food drives, meeting basic needs, wearing team colors … is that church? Darn right it is,” Laurvick said.