Scouting for Food donation program set for Saturday, Oct. 10

On Saturday October 10^th the Boy Scouts of America invite you and your neighbors to support your local food pantries while you shop at your local grocery stores in the Inland Empire communities from Colton and Grand Terrace to the Banning Pass along the I-10 corridor.

The Gray Arrow District Boy Scouts will be “Scouting for Food” October 10^th collecting non-perishable food items from shoppers in these communities at participating grocery store entrances. Selected Stater Bros., Albertsons, Walmart and Vons are the larger participating grocery stores in the greater San Bernardino Valley up into Banning Pass areas. The smaller family owned Gerrards store in Redlands will join this support effort too. Please encourage your families, friends and neighbors to help the Scouts do a meaningful “Good Turn” for your communities by donating food items intended for needy families that reside in your local communities, especially during this COVID-19 pandemic.

Scouting for Food has been an annual “Good Turn” community service for America, performed by Scouts of all ages in the California Inland Empire Council since 2001. Collected food items are distributed to food pantries of local non-profit agencies including the San Bernardino and Redlands Salvation Army Service Offices, the Family Service Association of Redlands, its Yucaipa Outreach Project, as well as Yucaipa Family Assistance, and H.E.L.P. Inc. in the Banning Pass.

In addition, donated food items are given to the Inland Empire Ronald McDonald House in Loma Linda for the third year now using their unique list of food needs. These agencies all provide emergency assistance that includes food distribution and other needed services to needy or disadvantaged and transitional families.

The area served by these agencies includes Colton, Grand Terrace, Loma Linda, Redlands, Mentone, Yucaipa, Highland, Forest Falls, Angelus Oaks, Beaumont, Calimesa, Banning, San Bernardino, and Devore. Food is especially needed this time of year as the weather cools and the pantries of these charities are at their lowest before the holidays, which has been compounded with the COVID-19 pandemic effects on families creating a greater need than ever before.

On October 10, between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m., when you shop for groceries, Scouts in uniform will give you a printed list of suggested food items most needed by these service agencies as you enter the stores. As you make your purchase, exit the store, present your donated food to a smiling Cub or Boy Scout as you place the food into the large collection boxes to which they are attending. Scouts, parents and leaders will be wearing protective masks and gloves due to the COVID-19 safety guidelines so social distancing will apply.

Collected food will be sorted and delivered to these local community agencies by Scouts, their parents, and adult Scout leaders of the Gray Arrow District, California Inland Empire Council, Boy Scouts of America. Joining us this year for the first time will be the Young Marines sponsored by the Redlands Elks Lodge for this community service.

Scouting has been building character and developing leaders for over a century in this country. Since its beginning in England in 1909, Scouting has been developing character in youth worldwide. If you have any questions in regards to our Scouting for Food program, please contact Ed Lucas, our Gray Arrow District “Scouting for Food” Chairman for 2019 at either edmech02@msn.com or his cell: (951) 906-3713.