Community Corner

Woonsocket Scouts Distributing Bags For Scouting For Food Drive Saturday

Annual collection for hunger relief is celebrating its 25th anniversary.

 

On Saturday, members of Troop 2 OLQM, Pack 2 OLQM, Pack 6 St. Joseph's, and Crew 13 of All Saints Parish will be hitting the streets to distribute bags for the 25th Annual Scouting for Food Drive.

The drive is a long-standing tradition for the Narragansett Council Boy Scouts of America and the largest food drive in New England. During the upcoming weeks, thousands of Boy Scouts will be on the move throughout the region collecting non-perishable food items for the Rhode Island Community Food Bank. Scouts will canvas neighborhoods throughout the state to drop off plastic donation bags to residents on Oct. 27, and then return to collect the donated foods on Nov. 3, beginning at 9 a.m.

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“For more than 25 years, the Annual Scouting for Food Drive has not only helped our neighbors in need, but it has also shown our Scouts how the community can and will step forward to help others less fortunate than themselves.  That is a critical life lesson for them,” said Narragansett Council’s Scout Executive/CEO, John Mosby. 

Since its inception in 1988, the Narragansett Council has collected more than 7.8 million pounds of food for those less fortunate.  Last year alone, Scouts collected close to 300,000 pounds of food, with 185,000 pounds being brought directly to the Food Bank.

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 “This year marks a significant milestone for the drive, and we are confident the community will once again come together and help those less fortunate,” Mosby said.

“The need for food assistance in Rhode Island has continued to grow since the start of the recession,” said Andrew Schiff, Chief Executive Officer of the Rhode Island Community Food Bank. “The issue really hits home for hard-working families who are doing their best to put food on the table for their children,” Schiff said.

Schiff also talked about the important role the Scouts have in the drive, “We are so impressed by the spirit, enthusiasm and energy of these young Scouts who really show us what community spirit is all about.”  He added, “Their significant contribution helps us to keep food on the shelves of local emergency food programs during the cold winter months.”

The Rhode Island Community Food Bank currently serves more than 65,000 people through its statewide network of emergency food programs. One in three individuals served is a child under the age of 18.

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

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

If the Scouts are unable to cover your neighborhood, please visit your local Walgreens store to drop off your donation between Nov. 3 and Nov. 17.


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