Scouting for Food is an annual service project that brings Scouts together to make a difference in their communities by collecting food for local families in need. Learn more about the history of Scouting for Food and how this tradition of service continues to make an impact. View the Leader Guide
Important Dates:
November 14th: Bag Distribution Day
November 21st: Food Collection Day
A History of Scouting for Food. The First Scouting for Food:
In preparation for the celebration of the 75th anniversary of the BSA in 1985, then Scout Executive and CEO Bob Meinholtz challenged his staff to develop a new and noteworthy program feature.They seized upon the idea of a community-wide good turn to collect food for the needy. The council had never tried anything of this scope in the past, nor was it aware of any organization that had. Delivering collection bags to nearly every home in 11 counties and then collecting, compiling, and distributing an unknown amount of food seemed a daunting, perhaps impossible, task.The initial success of Scouting for Food can be attributed to the leadership of Dennis Long and the Anheuser-Busch Company. They devoted considerable time and resources to making this ground-breaking idea a reality. Fire departments throughout the area enthusiastically came on board as collection sites, partner food pantries were identified, and the 892nd Transportation Company of the 102nd Army Reserve Command agreed to provide food transport through the St. Louis metropolitan area. That first year, Scouts collected 750,000 cans of food.
A Legacy of Service:
What was intended to be a one-time service project quickly became our hallmark. The council’s executive board determined that Scouting for Food is a perfect example of Scouting’s values and set about to make it an annual affair.
In 1988, with St. Louis as a model, Scouting America adopted Scouting for Food as a national BSA program and encouraged every council to participate.Scouting for Food has continued annually since its beginning in 1985 as a signature service event throughout the now 63 counties served by the Greater St. Louis Area Scouting. In 2019, the drive collected approximately 1.9 million food items.In 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic created a unique challenge to the drive, but Scouts were still able to make a big impact. Over $50,000 was raised via a text-to-give campaign, equalling approximately 200,000 meals provided to local families in need. We were also able to collect and donate over 145,000 food items to local pantries.Since the inaugural Scouting for Food drive in 1985, Scouts have collected more than 68 million items of food for the St. Louis region!
