Boy Scouts’ annual Scouting for Food Drive campaign begins Saturday

The Boy Scouts of America, Hawkeye Area Council’s annual Scouting for Food Campaign, begins on Saturday and ends on Oct. 23. Scout troops and packs will take to the streets on Saturday and distributing bags to more than 150,000 homes.

The Scouts ask residents to please fill the bag with non-perishable food items (no expired items, frozen foods or glass containers) and place outside your front door for pickup by 8 a.m. Oct. 23. If your bag is inadvertently not collected by then, please deliver to HACAP or your local food pantry. All food items collected will be donated to the HACAP Food Reservoir and other local food agencies in seven counties in Eastern Iowa.

Last year, the Scouting for Food Drive brought in a total of 93,387 pounds of food from Cedar Rapids, Iowa City and its neighboring areas which translates to over 77, 823 meals to be served. The Scouts area asking for residents’ help to make this another successful year for those who need it most during this winter and for those effected by the derecho storm.

The Boy Scouts, Hawkeye Area Council, serves 5,665 youth in Benton, Linn, Jones, Iowa, Johnson, Cedar and Washington counties in Iowa. The Council, supported by 2,018 volunteers, has its headquarters in Cedar Rapids.

The HACAP Food Reservoir distributes food to 169 nonprofit partner agencies in Benton, Cedar, Iowa, Johnson, Jones, Linn and Washington counties.