Local Boy Scouts Prepare for 27th Annual Food Drive

PROVIDENCE, RI – The Narragansett Council, Boy Scouts of America is gearing up for its annual “Scouting for Food” drive for the 27th consecutive year.  On October 25th, thousands of Scouts from across the state will be distributing door hangers to neighbors’ homes asking for donations of nutritional, non-perishable canned goods.  Donation pick-ups will take place the following Saturday, November 1 starting at 9 a.m., and will be delivered to the Rhode Island Community Food Bank.

Over 200 different Scouting Packs and Troops will participate in the drive, collecting canned goods from families and individuals throughout Rhode Island, Southeastern Massachusetts and Connecticut.

“This annual event is an opportunity for the Boy Scouts as well as their communities to help those in need,” said Joe DeStefano, Volunteer Coordinator for the annual Scouting for Food drive.  “It gives Scouts the chance to learn first-hand the impact that community service can have, while bringing people together in the spirit of generosity.”

With the need for food assistance nearly doubling over the last five years, the Food Bank is looking forward to a successful collection.

“Every year we are so impressed with the incredible effort made by the Scouts, their parents, their leaders and the community to make Scouting for Food a success,” said Andrew Schiff, Chief Executive Officer of the Rhode Island Community Food Bank.  “We are now serving 63,000 people each month through our statewide network of food pantries. The people we serve are facing impossible choices between whether to buy food or use their limited resources on rent, utilities, transportation and medicine. We encourage everyone to give generously this year and to donate healthy food that can be used to make a family meal.”

For more than 25 years, the Narragansett Council, Boy Scouts of America’s commitment to this cause has inspired community members to get involved.

“When there is an opportunity to help those in need, Rhode Islanders come together to make a difference,” said Schiff.  “This is the kind of determination we need for this year’s drive to make sure all of our neighbors have access to nutritious foods.”

Scouting for Food, the largest food drive in New England, is a cooperative effort supported by the Narragansett Council of the Boy Scouts of America, the Rhode Island Community Food Bank, WPRI-12 News, Fox Providence, the Rhode Island National Guard, The Valley Breeze and area fire stations.

Following the USDA’s guidelines for healthy eating, donors are encouraged to fill their bags with the Food Bank’s most needed items:

  • Canned Soup, Tuna, Canned Meats, Peanut Butter, Nuts
  • Canned Fruits & Vegetables, Dried Fruit, Tomato Sauce
  • Nutritious Breakfast Cereals, Whole Wheat Pasta, Rice
  • Granola Bars and other healthy snacks
  • Canned or Dried Beans

If the Boy Scouts are not able to cover your neighborhood, please visit www.rifoodbank.org/getfood to find a food pantry near you, or drop your donation off at the Food Bank, 200 Niantic Avenue, Providence any weekday between 8 am and 5 pm.

The Rhode Island Community Food Bank is a non-profit organization located in Providence, RI. In the past fiscal year, the Food Bank distributed 9.9 million pounds of food to its statewide network of 169 member agencies. For more information about the Food Bank, please visit www.rifoodbank.org.

 

About the Narragansett Council: The Narragansett Council, Boy Scouts of America’s mission is to serve others by helping to instill values in young people and, in other ways, prepare them to make ethical choices over their lifetime in achieving their full potential. The Narragansett Council offers a program for boys and young men ages 6 to 21 and young women ages 14 to 21, serving over 12,000 young people in Rhode Island, Southeastern Massachusetts, and Pawcatuck, Connecticut. For more information, please log on to www.narragansettbsa.org

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