Scouting for Food

Background Information

Local Cub Scouts and Boy Scouts will be out in neighborhoods in November as part of Boy Scouts of America's initiative to collect food donations for local food pantries. The BSA National Capital Area Council (NCAC) currently partners with Safeway, WUSA-News 9, the Capital Area Food Bank, and local food banks to provide more than 850,000 pounds of food annually to shelters, needy families, and the elderly. Through the combined efforts of Boy Scouts, Cub Scouts, Varsity Scouts, Venturers, and Sea Scouts more than 1 million Scouting for Food collection bags have been distributed across the Washington D.C. metropolitan area. The food that we collect will be used to help needy families right here in Fairfax county.

Preparation

  • Review assigned area and participants from your den and determine plan of attack. Options include breaking up into working groups of 2 boys and 1 parent, or keep the whole together and work both sides of the street, or whatever you think will work best. If you find that the area is too large for the number of den participants that you expect, please let your leaders know. Consider the expected participation for the food collection on the following Saturday, as it's most important.
  • Determine den parent(s) that can deliver food collections to food bank. See list for options.

Bag Delivery

  • Strongly recommended that boys wear uniforms.
  • Bags should be hung on front door knob, inside screen doors. Don't put in mail box!
Scouting for Food 2011
Scouting for Food 2008

Food Collection

  • Strongly recommended that boys wear uniforms.
  • A tail end crew will re-cover area to pick up any late food contributions.

Information Needed

  • Number of Scouts and adults that participated.
  • Weight of food collected and where donated. Estimate of 8 lbs per bag if no scale is available.