Scouting for Food program returning this Saturday

Published 12:03 am Thursday, January 30, 2020

The annual Scouting for Food program, a joint service project of the Boy Scouts and the Kiwanis Club of Dalton, begins Saturday as hundreds of scouts distribute instructive door hangers to subdivisions throughout the Dalton/Whitfield County area, and a portion of the Chatsworth/Murray County area. The distribution of the instructions to local residents is the first step towards the collection of canned foods to replenish the food center of The Salvation Army and other area food banks on the following Saturday — Feb. 8.

Since the late 1980s, Scouting for Food has operated in Murray and Whitfield counties as an annual event. There are probably more volunteers helping in this program than any other community-wide program, if you take into consideration every family that makes a food donation.

The door hangers will be hung either on door knobs or mailbox flags this weekend and the written instructions will explain that Scouts will return on Saturday, Feb. 8, between 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. to collect food donations, placed visibly in a bag or box on the front porch or near the mailbox. The donated canned goods are then taken to The Salvation Army food center or other church-related food banks. The Kiwanis Club of Dalton provides a helping hand to The Salvation Army in Dalton by sorting, boxing and labeling donated foods, then stocking them.

“This annual food drive is very important to our food center each year and is a significant source of our food that is provided to persons in need,” said Capt. Arnaldo Pena of The Salvation Army. “Our requests for food assistance does not diminish and is an ongoing service month after month for persons in need. We are so grateful for this community effort that helps us to help so many others. The food is distributed for free to those persons and families needing assistance. This is my first year to participate in this program in this community, and I’m excited to be a part of this valuable effort.”

For efficiency and the safety of the scouts, collection efforts concentrate on developed subdivisions, said Barnett Chitwood, the coordinator for Scouting for Food for the scouts.

“All households are encouraged to participate in the food drive, even if they have to drop off their food in a paper sack directly at The Salvation Army food center sometime after collection day on Feb. 8,” Chitwood said. “Our scouts like this program because they know they are helping someone, and most of the local units make this community service project an annual commitment.”

Also, some younger scouts may be seen at some grocery store locations, where they will accept canned goods from shoppers as they leave the store. Store patrons can purchase extra canned goods and make their donations as they leave the store.

The Salvation Army requests that perishable items, frozen items or anything in glass containers not be donated. Citizens are also asked to review expiration dates and donate only those items that have remaining shelf life.