Scouting for Food – Tacking Poverty TogetherToday, more than 1 billion people in the world live in conditions of poverty, and almost one in every five children in the United States lives in poverty.
In the United States, poverty significantly impacts hunger, with an estimated 13 million people going to bed hungry each night. Scouting continues its legacy of combating poverty and other social issues while creating leaders of tomorrow through its Good Turn for America initiative�a collaboration with other community organizations that focuses the power of volunteerism on the important community issues of hunger, shelter, and health.
Through Good Turn for America, organizations like the BSA, The Salvation Army, America’s Second Harvest, and thousands of other community organizations work together to alleviate hunger in America.
Specifically, the BSA employs its Scouting for Food program that facilitates food drives across the country to provide meals to the hungry. This is our chance to help.
From: Gary Brewer, Scouting for Food Staff Advisor
Subject: Scouting for Food Commitment Form and Key Dates
Nell Colbert, Little Econ District was kind enough to create the SFF Commitment form with fill-able fields, so that you can complete the form without printing it out.
seminoletrails.com/district/wp-content/uploads/SFF Unit Committment Form 2009 pdf.pdf open the 2009 Scouting for Food Unit Commitment form. Please return to your District Scouting for Food Chairman or mail to my attention at the council office no later than September Roundtable.
Key Dates:
- September Roundtable – Commitment Form Due
- October Roundtable – Pick up SFF bags
- November 7 – SFF Bag Distribution Day (This is the same day has 2nd Order Popcorn Pick-up)
- November 14 – SFF Bag Collection Day
CC: District Executives; District SFF Chairs; Field Directors
Gary A. Brewer, CFRE
Director of Development
Director of Development
Central Florida Council
BOY SCOUTS OF AMERICA
Wayne Densch Boy Scout Service Center
1951 S. Orange Blossom Trail
Apopka, Florida 32703-7747
407.399.4682 • Mobile
407.703.0248 • Office
407.889.4406 • Fax
BOY SCOUTS OF AMERICA
Wayne Densch Boy Scout Service Center
1951 S. Orange Blossom Trail
Apopka, Florida 32703-7747
407.399.4682 • Mobile
407.703.0248 • Office
407.889.4406 • Fax
What is Scouting for Food?
Scouting for Food is the nation�s largest single-day food drive. Scouting for Food began as a service project for the St. Louis Area Council in 1985 and was adopted by the National Organization in 1988. This year marks the 20th year of this great event. Every November, thousands of scouts and adult volunteers spend two Saturdays doing a good turn.
Saturday, November 1, is Bag Distribution Day More than 700,000 plastic bags will be hung on doorknobs in Central Florida.
Saturday, November 3, is Collection Day Scouts return to pick up bags filled with donated canned goods which are then distributed to Second Harvest Food Bank and other local food pantries within the district in which the food is collected.
Why do we participate in Scouting for Food?
As an organization, the Boy Scouts teaches youths the value of helping others and to give back to their communities. By collecting food for people in need throughout Central Florida, Scouts are �doing a good turn� and helping other people, which are key elements of the Scout Oath and slogan.
Where does the donated food go?
After the Scouts retrieve bags filled with canned goods, they deliver them to a local drop-off location where volunteers sort and box food. The food is loaded into a semi-trailer and driven to Second Harvest Food Bank or a local food pantry in need. Your donated food will help feed hungry people in Orange, Seminole, Osceola, Lake, Brevard, Volusia and Flagler Counties.
In any given week, almost 54,000 people receive assistance from the Second Harvest Food Bank and an estimated 11 million meals are provided annually. In 2007, Scouting for Food collected more than 500,000 pounds of food for Second Harvest Food Bank and other local food pantries which provided over 350,000 meals to the Central Florida community.
Don’t forget to log-in your hours for Good Turn for America
Aug 26th by Bo Terry
