Alameda County Community Food Bank

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Contact: Kari Martell
(510) 636-4902

Boy Scouts Do A “Good Deed” For Bay Area Food Banks

Oakland, CA – This year marks the 18th year of Scouting for Food. It will take place on Saturday, November 19th and involves more than 40,000 Boy Scouts, Cub Scouts, Venturers and Explorers throughout the Bay Area. This year's theme "Do my best – to do my duty" will be the focus for thousands of young men throughout the Bay Area as they conduct their scouts "good turn", a good deed to help someone else in need. Boy Scouts will be helping all Bay Area Food Banks to gear up for the busy holiday season by conducting this annual food drive to stock their shelves.

"Scouting for Food is an incredibly important food drive for the Food Banks throughout the Bay Area, not only because of the food it provides, but also because that food comes as we prepare to distribute holiday food baskets," states Larry Sly, executive director of the Food Bank of Contra Costa and Solano. "Because of the efforts of local Boy Scouts, the holidays are better for the people the Food Bank serves."

The Boy Scouts from 10 Bay Area Councils will collect bags of food from residents throughout the Bay Area on November 19th. Residents who do not receive a bag can still participate by dropping off food items at participating Safeway or Albertsons stores.

Each area Food Bank along with the Boy Scouts and hundreds of volunteers will transport and sort the food so that the items are ready for distribution to community organizations serving clients for the Thanksgiving holiday.

"This annual food drive develops character in our young men through service." said Jim Mattson, Mt. Diablo/Silverado Council, Scouting for Food Chairman. "Our scouts are committed to finding a reason to do something good for someone else on a daily basis."

The food will be distributed to more than 1,900 food pantries, children’s programs, shelters, soup kitchens, residential programs and other emergency food providers. To learn more, call (800) 870-FOOD (3663) or visit www.bayareahunger.org.