Powered by thousands of boys and girls in local Boy Scouts of America groups across West Central Florida, an initiative called Scouting for Food is seeking to collect a record-setting amount of food to fight hunger.
Scouts ages 5 to 17 will go door-to-door on Jan. 25 in their neighborhoods to attach door hangers with program information, then return to collect nonperishable food donations left on front porches one week later, on Feb. 1.
Scouting for Food will take place on the weekends leading up to the Super Bowl, as the Greater Tampa Bay Area Council—the region’s branch of the Boy Scouts of America—is joining more than 4,000 participating groups in the Souper Bowl of Caring, a nonprofit organization that collected more than 4.5 million pounds of food in 2019.
Boy Scouts of America is a program that teaches young men and women values, leadership, adventure and, most importantly, how to lend a helping hand and assist those in need.
“Serving others is at the heart of what Scouting is all about,” said Scouting for Food event chair Melissa Snively, in a release.
“In Florida alone, more than 850,000 children struggle with hunger. Our Scouts will be energized knowing they are helping other young people,” Snively added.
More than 15,000 Scouts are members of the local branch of Boy Scouts of America, the Greater Tampa Bay Area Council. The council and its Scouting for Food effort covers nine counties, including Hillsborough and Pasco.
Food collected in Pasco County will be benefit the food banks of Helping Hands Choice Food Pantry (Wesley Chapel), St. Vincent De Paul (Land O’ Lakes) and Metropolitan Ministries (Holiday).
To stay up to date on the progress of the food campaign, visit TampaBayScouting.org, or follow Scouting for Food on Facebook.
Published January 15, 2020
