This morning, I trailed one of our Hunger Program staffers on a food donation pickup. The weather inconveniently chose to pour down rain at the precise moment we arrived at our destination, but it was worth getting a little wet. Because there, nestled snugly on the porch of a nearby home, were 31 boxes of non-perishable groceries, waiting for transport to EECM's Food Pantry.
As the boxes proudly proclaim, the source of this terrific windfall was the annual Scouting for Food project. Each year, thousands of Boy Scout troops and packs across the country (representing millions of Scouts) collect tens of millions of pounds of food for local food banks. It's pretty great.
The process is quite slick. The Scouts advertise their drive and distribute empty grocery bags throughout neighborhoods. Then, on a designated date, they go back and pick them all up. In our area, Scout troops also camp out at local grocery stores to encourage shoppers to buy a couple extra canned goods while they're in the store. Each troop is responsible for finding a community organization to donate the food to, and each year EECM is the beneficiary of several of these collections.
Thanks to all the Boy Scouts who participated in the 2010 Scouting for Food event!
