Boy Scouts launching "Scouting for Food" food drive

MILWAUKEE (WITI) -- Boy Scouts will go door-to-door on Saturday, March 15 in the Milwaukee area distributing “Scouting for Food” bags. Scouting for Food is one of the largest food drives benefiting Feeding America Eastern Wisconsin.

This year’s efforts will be particularly important to help stock the shelves of Feeding America meal programs and food pantries. With the bitter cold of this long winter lingering, heating bills are taking a toll on the family budget.

“Families in our community are choosing between paying their rent, heating their homes and putting food on the table. No one should have to make that choice,” said Bonnie Bellehumeur, president of Feeding America Eastern Wisconsin. “Your donations to the Scouting for Food drive help restock our partner programs with basic, nutritious staples for people struggling with hunger. Every donation is important.”

Residents are encouraged to fill the bags with nonperishable food items including canned fruits and vegetables, pasta, tuna, macaroni and cheese, canned soup, peanut butter, cereal and rice.

Boy Scouts will return on Saturday, March 22 to pick up the bags.

Please leave the bags on your doorstep before 9 a.m. for pick up on March 22.

In addition, Scouting for Food bags will appear in the Sunday, March 16 edition of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Donations can also be dropped off at participating Pick ’n Save stores.

Since 1987, the Boy Scouts have collected more than three million pounds of food to help feed the hungry. The food collected in Milwaukee County benefits Feeding America Eastern Wisconsin. Food collected in Kenosha, Racine and Waukesha counties benefit local food pantries in those communities.