February 2014 Newsletter

Scouting for Food

Make a Difference: Help Baltimore Area Council Feed Our Hungry!

Be sure to record your Service Hours here.

Pack and Troop 307 scouting for food results - 1,411 lbs
of food collected today, delivered to CEFM.

Scouts in Action - Watch the 2013 Public Service Announcements

Background:

Scouting For Food is one of the Boy Scouts of America’s best known national service projects and is conducted by virtually every Boy Scout council across the nation on an annual basis.

Scouting For Food was first conducted on a national level, as a National Good Turn, by the BSA in 1988 and collected more than 60 million food items in that year.

Local Impact:

In the Baltimore Area Council, Scouting For Food has had a long tradition as being the single largest service project in Central Maryland.  Under the leadership of many adult volunteers, and through their dedication, the Scouting For Food program has annually collected food items to donate to local food agencies and feeding programs including homeless shelters, food pantries, food banks and soup kitchens.  These agencies vary in size and may serve a small amount of families in a local community or thousands of families in Central Maryland.

How To Get Involved:

To find out how you or your business can help support the Scouting For Food program, either during the weeks in April or anytime throughout the year, contact the Council Chair or Advisor listed under key contacts.  We would be happy to assist in having a food drive in your organization or business!

"The Perfect Bag"

• 2 cans of hearty soup, stew or chili - Supplies many nutrients.
• 2 cans of tuna, chicken, salmon or luncheon meat (e.g. Spam) - Contains protein and iron. Canned salmon is a source of calcium and omega-3 fatty acids.
• 1 can of fruit - Supplies vitamins A and C, foliate, potassium, fiber and other healthy substances.
• 1 can of 100% pure fruit juice - Contains vitamin C and often beta carotene.
• 1 can of vegetables - Supplies beta carotene, vitamin C, foliate, complex carbohydrates, fiber and potassium.
• 1 can of tomato or pasta sauce - Contains lycopene, a healthy substance that is more available to your body in canned and cooked tomatoes than in fresh.
• 1 canned meal - Offers a variety of ingredients and nutrients.
• 1 can of beans - Contains plenty of protein, complex carbohydrates and fiber.
• 1 can of evaporated milk - Makes an excellent source of calcium and protein.

For over 20 years, Scouts of all ages in the Baltimore Area Council have collected food items to help feed families in need.  Over 95,000 families depend on their neighbors generosity in our Scouting for Food program.

In 2013, over 371,000 pounds of food was collected and given to over 70 local food pantries, feeding programs, or food banks.  There were over 4,000 scouts and Scouters involved in the distribution and collection of the Scouting for Food bags.

Saturday, March 29-30, 2014
Bag Distribution Weekend

Saturday, April 4-5, 2014
Bag Collection Day

Key Contacts:

Council Chair - Skip Miller
Staff Advisor - Casey Snyder

Anne Arundel County:
Four Rivers District (Northern) - Kirk Platt
The Capitol District (Southern) - Cheryl Brown and Jamie McKnown

Baltimore (City):
Hopkins District (East) - John Gamber
Thurgood Marshall District (West) - Angela Griggs
Reginald F. Lewis - John Gamber

Baltimore County:
Arrowhead District (West) - Steve Halpern
Chesapeake District (Southeast) - Mary Branch
Dulaney District (Northeast) - Joe Tewey

Carroll County:
Carroll District - Jack Lusby

Harford County:
Harford District - Brian Arnett

Howard County:
National Pike District - Sori Meredith
(National Pike's SFF page)

2014 Scouting For Food Program Partners