In photo above, some members of Troop 1 (Placer County) are shown with members of the St. Vincent de Paul Society in Roseville and food donations.
The Golden Empire Council of Scouting BSA hosted the annual "Scouting for Food" drive on March 11, with more than 3,000 Scouts and family members participating. The food collected was distributed among 16 counties in northern California.
The program "Scouting for Food" has been operated by the local council for at least 20 yers. Every year, Scouts and their families coordinate to pickup food in their neighborhoods and drop off at local food banks. These efforts provide seniors, children and low-income families with nutritious food in their time of need.
"The annual Scouting for Food is a fantastic event which our Scouts can help many families across northern California," says Jose Zavala, Scouting for Food director and district executive. "Once again, I am proud to be part of this organization and see the amazing work our Scouts and their families are doing to make an impact in their communities."
Golden Empire Council's 2023 Scouting for Food drive collected more than 55,000 pounds of food, as well as $3,162 in monetary donations.
"Scouting for Food is such a wonderful opportunity for Scouts in our area to come together and make a direct positive impact on the community," said James Rhodes-Dreyer, Scout executive. "While partnering with food banks across the state, thousands of youths and adult volunteers work cheerfully to help those in need, even in the rain! It is the commitment to the 'Scout Law,' which includes being helpful, friendly, kind and cheerful that enables the Scouts to be successful."
GEC has been providing leadership development for youth and their families since 1920, while serving more than 7,000 youth in 16 counties. For more information visit https://gec-bsa.org.
For information about Catholic Scouting in the Diocese of Sacramento, contact Jennifer Campbell at jcampbell@scd.org or 916-733-0135.