Boy Scouts Collected 200,000 Pounds of Food in This Year's Drive

Rhode Island Boy Scouts collected a massive 200,000 pounds of food this year during their annual Scouting for Food Drive — the largest annual food drive in New England.

All that food will go to serve the thousands of people rely to on local food pantries, including the Rhode Island Community Food Bank, which helps more than 60,000 Rhode Islanders each month.

The massive haul of donations came from thousands of bags the scouts distributed and then collected a week later in a canvassing effort that spanned dozens of neighborhoods across the state.

This year, scouts collected 60,000 pounds more than last year and have collected a total of 8 million pounds since the first drive in 1988.

The donated food has stocked shelves in food pantries in Rhode Island as well as southeastern Massachusetts and Connecticut. Now, as the economy continues what appears to be a steady but gradual recovery, need remains distressingly high. In Rhode Island alone, the U.S. Department of Agriculture reports that 14.4 percent of households lack adequate food and 4.6 percent are at risk of going hungry.

“Each year, we are impressed by the hard work and dedication our Scouts’ put forth for this drive,” said John Mosby, the Narragansett Council’s Scout Executive/CEO. “Their continued involvement is a true testament to the lessons and values Scouting teaches our youth.”

The scouts pledge to be prepared to marshal the public’s goodwill, door-to-door, every autumn. And for those who work on the front lines of hunger, it’s hard finding strong enough ways to say thanks.

“We’re incredibly grateful to the Scouts, their families and Troop leaders, and to those who donate to their neighbors in need. Without everyone’s help, Scouting for Food would not be possible,” said Andrew Schiff, CEO of the Rhode Island Community Food Bank.

If the Boy Scouts weren’t able to cover your street, you can still donate. Visit one of the Scout Shops listed below to drop off donations:

West Bay Scout Shop

1276 Bald Hill Road, Unit 160

Warwick, RI 02886

East Bay Scout Shop

79 Swansea Mall Drive

Swansea, MA 02777

OR bring your donation to the RI Community Food Bank at

200 Niantic Avenue, Providence any week day between 8 am and 5 pm.