Scouting for Food Generates 200,000 Pounds of Food

NARRAGANSETT, RI – For 28 years the Narragansett Council, Boy Scouts of America has hosted its annual Scouting for Food Drive, the largest food drive throughout New England. Over the past few weeks, thousands of Scouts across the state canvassed local communities to collect food for the Rhode Island Community Food Bank and area food pantries.  As a result, 200,000 pounds of food were donated from the community.

Food donations increased more than 60,000 pounds from last year’s Scouting for Food Drive.  Since the Council’s first drive in 1988, Scouts have collected over 8 million pounds of food for Rhode Island, Southeastern Massachusetts and Connecticut.

“Each year, we are impressed by the hard work and dedication our Scouts’ put forth for this drive,” said John Mosby, the Narragansett Council’s Scout Executive/CEO.  “Their continued involvement is a true testament to the lessons and values Scouting teaches our youth.”

In an economy that has been slow to recover, many have found themselves looking to the Food Bank for support.  In Rhode Island alone, the USDA reports that nearly 14.4 percent of households are lacking food and about 4.6 percent are at risk of going hungry.

“Donations from this year’s drive will help the more than 60,000 Rhode Islanders we serve each month through our network of member agencies,” said Andrew Schiff, CEO of the Rhode Island Community Food Bank.  “We’re incredibly grateful to the Scouts, their families and Troop leaders, and to those who donate to their neighbors in need.  Without everyone’s help, Scouting for Food would not be possible.”

“The Narragansett Council, Boy Scouts of America and the Rhode Island Community Food Bank would like to extend our gratitude to everyone who donated and participated in the drive,” added Mosby.  “We appreciate everyone’s efforts over the years in making Scouting for Food as successful as it is.”

If the Scouts were unable to cover your neighborhood, please visit one of our Scout Shops listed below to drop off donations:

West Bay Scout Shop

1276 Bald Hill Road, Unit 160

Warwick, RI 02886

East Bay Scout Shop

79 Swansea Mall Drive

Swansea, MA 02777

OR bring your donation to the RI Community Food Bank at

200 Niantic Avenue, Providence any week day between 8 am and 5 pm.

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 Channel 12, FOX Providence, the Rhode Island Army National Guard, The Valley Breeze and local fire stations.

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 nearly 14,000 young people in Rhode Island, Southeastern Massachusetts, and Pawcatuck, Connecticut. For more information, please log on towww.narragansettbsa.org

About the Rhode Island Community Food Bank: Founded in 1982, the Rhode Island Community Food Bank is a non-profit organization based in Providence, RI focused on providing food to people in need and promoting long-term solutions to the problem of hunger. The Food Bank raises funds to purchase nutritious foods and solicits, stores and distributes food products donated by supermarkets, wholesalers, food processors, local farmers and community food drives. The food is then distributed to the Food Bank’s statewide network of 169 member agencies. For more information about the Food Bank, visit www.rifoodbank.org.

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