Boy Scouts will be out in Huntington and throughout Suffolk County in the coming days to collect 100,000 pounds of food in honor of the organization’s 100th anniversary.
The “Scouting for Food” drive will help Island Harvest Food Bank to help provide supplemental food support to nearly 300,000 Long Islanders who are facing hunger and food insecurity.
Scouts are converging on neighborhoods across Suffolk County, leaving recyclable shopping bags on doorsteps and requesting residents fill them with non-perishable food items. The food will then be collected by the Scouts and donated to Island Harvest Food Bank and local pantries.
This year, corporate sponsor, and longtime Island Harvest Food Bank supporter, Stop & Shop will be supplying 30,000 recyclable bags to support the Scouting for Food Drive. Residents may also use their own bags or boxes to donate food. Stop & Shop has also donated $1,000 in gift cards to the Suffolk County Boy Scouts to get them started in reaching their goal of collecting 100,000 pounds of non-perishable items.
Non-perishable food items needed include canned goods, cereal, pasta, rice, boxed juices, and shelf-stable milk (no glass items). Personal care items such as soap, deodorant, toothpaste, shampoo, and household cleaning products are also needed.
In addition to their door-to-door efforts during the collection period, Scouts will be conducting food drives at 13 Stop & Shop stores across Suffolk County on Saturday, March 23, 2019, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the following Huntington locations:
- 1100 East Jericho Turnpike, Huntington,
- 3126 Jericho Turnpike, East Northport
- 454 Fort Salonga Rd. Northport
Other locations include:
- 575 Montauk Highway, W. Babylon, NY
- 351 Merrick Road, Amityville, NY 11701
- 1730 Veteran’s Memorial Hwy., Islandia, NY 11722
- 60 Wall St, Huntington, NY 11743
- 191 Montauk Highway, Sayville, NY 11782
- 275 Middle Country Road, Coram, NY 11727
- 700-60 Patchogue-Yaphank Road, Medford, NY 11763
- 245 Route 25A, Rocky Point, NY 11778
- 67 Newton Lane., East Hampton, NY
- Main St. and Jagger Lane, Southampton, NY
The Suffolk County Scouting for Food Drive also has an online virtual food drive. All are encouraged to visithttps://www.fooddriveonline.org/islandharvest/sccbsa to make a donation and support this effort. All virtual contributions will be credited to the efforts of the Boy Scouts of America, Suffolk County Council and benefit Island Harvest Food Bank.
“We are extremely proud of the Scouts for their selflessly thinking of others as their way of celebrating the centennial of the Boy Scouts of America, Suffolk County Council,” said Randi Dresner, president & CEO, Island Harvest Food Bank. “I’m confident that communities all across Suffolk County will get behind these remarkable young people and support the ‘Scouting for Food’ initiative. We wish the Council a very happy 100th anniversary!”
“Stop & Shop is delighted to lend its support to the Boy Scouts of America, Suffolk County Council, which is teaching its members the importance of caring for neighbors in need,” said Jennifer Brogan, Stop & Shop’s director of external communications and community relations. “Caring for our community is paramount for Stop & Shop and we are proud to work with the Scouts, as well as our long-time partner, Island Harvest Food Bank, to end hunger on Long Island.”
Gina Carson, development associate for Suffolk County Council of Boy Scouts, said, “We are very excited to know that our centennial anniversary will translate into support for our fellow Long Islanders while continuing in our tradition of encouraging youth to be an active member of their community.”