Boy Scouts Kick Off 31st Annual Food Drive
Scouts Will Deliver Door Hangers for RI Community Food Bank Donations on October 27,
Ocean State Job Lot to Donate up to 100,000 Pounds of Food
PROVIDENCE (October 22, 2018) ??? The Narragansett Council, Boy Scouts of America will hold its 31st ??Annual ???Scouting for Food Good Turn??? drive on October 27 across Rhode Island, Southeastern Massachusetts and Connecticut. Thousands of Scouts will distribute door hangers to neighbors??? homes seeking donations of nutritional, non-perishable canned goods. The annual initiative, the largest food drive in New England, highlights one of Scouting???s primary focuses ??? doing a ???Good Turn??? daily.?? This year, through a new partnership, Ocean State Job Lot will match pound-for-pound (up to 100,000 pounds) all food collected by the Narragansett Council???s Scouts to be donated to local food pantries.
More than 200 Scouting Packs and Troops from across Southern New England will participate in the drive by collecting canned goods from families and individuals.?? Donation pick-ups will be the following Saturday, November 3 starting at 9 a.m., and will be delivered to the Rhode Island Community Food Bank and other local food pantries.
???Scouting for Food brings the community together to help our neighbors in need,??? said Joe DeStefano, Volunteer Coordinator for the food drive since it began in 1987.?? ???Last year, we collected 215,000 pounds of food for the needy. We???re aiming to give even more this year with the help of Ocean State Job Lot, who we can???t thank enough for their generosity.???
DeStefano began volunteering for Scouting for Food 31 years ago. Under his leadership, the Scouts have collected more than 9.2 million pounds of food for neighbors in need.
???Over the last 31 years, Scouting for Food has helped us provide meals to thousands of families,??? said Andrew Schiff, Chief Executive Officer of the Rhode Island Community Food Bank.?? ???This food drive is key to serving the one in eight Rhode Islanders in need of food assistance, especially as the winter approaches.???
???Scouting for Food is an important event not only to serve our communities, but for Scouts to build character and develop an ethic of community.?? It brings troops together to do their part and give to the less fortunate,??? said Tim McCandless, Scout Executive/CEO. ???In preparation of another successful drive, we ask the community to give generously. We also thank Ocean State Job Lot for their unwavering commitment to the community???s needy.???
Scouting for Food is a cooperative effort supported by the Narragansett Council of the Boy Scouts of America, the Rhode Island Community Food Bank, Ocean State Job Lot, WPRI-12 News, Fox Providence, the Rhode Island National Guard, The Valley Breeze and area fire stations.
???The Scouts of the Narragansett Council are excited to help make this year the most successful drive yet,??? said DeStefano. ???This opportunity helps Boy Scouts learn the importance of helping people in need, and offers the chance for everybody to partake in the spirit of generosity.???
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 your local food pantry or the RI Community Food Bank located at 200 Niantic Ave., Providence.?? Food can also be dropped off at one of our two Scout Shops:
West Bay Scout Shop at 1276 Bald Hill Rd, Warwick RI
East Bay Scout Shop at 79 Swansea Mall Dr., Swansea MA
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???s??research-backed, youth development programs are for boys??and girls??ages 6 to 20 through??Cub Scouts,??Scouts BSA,??Venturing??and Exploring.????The council serves nearly 14,000??youth??in Rhode Island, Southeastern Massachusetts, and Pawcatuck, Connecticut.??People can learn about Scouting programs and find groups near them at www.BeAScout.org. ??For more information, please log on to??www.narragansettbsa.org.