Scouts Ask Community to Give Generously to 24th Annual Scouting for Food Drive

Thousands of Boy Scouts will be on the move on Oct. 29, dropping off empty bags on neighborhood doorsteps to collect food for the 24th annual Scouting for Food Drive. Scouts are counting on the community to join them in helping their neighbors in need by filling bags with non-perishable food items.

Scouts will return to local neighborhoods to collect the donated food on Nov. 5, beginning at 9 a.m.

“The annual drive reinforces the life lessons taught in Scouting and allows our Scouts to see first-hand the impact they can make on their community,” said Dave Anderson, Narragansett Council, Boy Scouts of America, Scout Executive. “Our Scouts work hard each year to make the drive a success, and we encourage donations of any size as thousands of families are still struggling and in need of help.” 

For 24 years, the hard work and dedication of the Boy Scouts has inspired the community’s generosity to help neighbors in need. Over 200 Boy Scout Packs and Troops participate in the drive, reinforcing the motto for local Scouts to do a “Good Turn” daily. The Scouting for Food Drive is the most significant, annual community service event for the Narragansett Council.

Last year, the drive collected more than 300,000 pounds of food, with 185,000 pounds being brought directly to the Rhode Island Community Food Bank. Some of the food collected throughout Rhode Island, Southeastern Massachusetts and Connecticut goes directly to area food pantries and donation centers. Since the drive’s inception in 1988, the Narragansett Council has collected more than 6.8 Million pounds of food for those in need.

“The Scouts set a tremendous example for young people by giving their time to help people in their own community who are struggling to meet their basic food needs,” said Andrew Schiff, Chief Executive Officer of the Rhode Island Community Food Bank. “The issue of hunger really hits home in Rhode Island. Currently, one of three persons we serve is a child under the age of 18. The efforts of the Narragansett Council Boy Scouts and the generosity of the community will mean a lot to the 60,000 Rhode Islanders who depend on our statewide network of emergency food pantries.”

The drive itself is the largest food drive in New England and is a cooperative effort supported by the Narragansett Council Boy Scouts of America, the Rhode Island Community Food Bank, WPRI Channel 12, FOX Providence, the Rhode Island Army National Guard, Walgreens, The Valley Breeze and area fire stations. 

Donors are encouraged to fill their bags with the Food Bank’s most needed items:

• Proteins: Canned Soup, Tuna, Meats, Peanut Butter, Nuts
• Canned Fruits & Vegetables including Juices and Dried Fruit and Tomato Sauce
• Carbohydrates: Nutritious Breakfast Cereals, Whole Wheat Pasta and Rice
• Crackers, Granola Bars and Cheese & Cracker Packages
• Canned or Dried Beans

If the Scouts are unable to cover your neighborhood, please visit your local to drop off your donation between November 5th and November 18th.