Boy Scouts set to collect canned goods for area pantries

ST. LOUIS, Mo. - Over one million Scouting For Food bags were delivered last weekend. Now the Boy Scouts are asking residents to leave the bags filled with canned goods on their doorsteps by 9 a.m. this Saturday for pickup.

Scouting For Food is the Boy Scouts' annual service project. Each year, the food drive collects about two million food items which help provide more than 500,000 meals for those in need. It is the largest one-day food drive in the Boy Scouts of America.

"Participating in the Scouting For Food program is a proud tradition for our community," said Ronald Green, Scout Executive/CEO of the Greater St. Louis Area Council. "We appreciate the community's generosity year after year. The food drive is important not only because it helps those in need, but it also teaches our children the value of serving others."

When it comes to donations, canned fruits, vegetables, soups, tuna, chicken, and pasta sauce, and meals in a box such as hamburger helper are most needed.

"Scouting for Food is a wonderful St. Louis (and Southern Illinois) tradition that show us at our best," said St. Louis Area Foodbank President & CEO, Frank Finnegan. "The drive helps put food on the table for thousands of people right here in our community, not just in the coming weeks, but for months to come".

Food donations in the St. Louis area are picked up by Scouts and taken to local fire stations where it is sorted and boxed. Scouts deliver donations directly to local food pantries.

Residents whose bags are missed Saturday can call 314-361-0600. Residents who did not receive a bag can take canned food donations to any Goodwill store location Nov. 20-26.

About the Greater St. Louis Area Council

A United Way agency, the Greater St. Louis Area Council provides youth with character development programs and values-based leadership training. The council, which includes St. Louis city and 36 counties in eastern Missouri and Southern Illinois, had more than 47,000 youth and nearly 12,000 adult volunteers participate in Scouting programs last year making it one of the largest Scout councils in the country. For more information, visit stlbsa.org.