Boy Scouts collect more than 2 tons of food for Salvation Army
February 12, 2017 (ROME, GA) – Boy Scouts from more than a dozen units in Floyd, Polk and Chattooga counties collected more than 4,300 pounds of food from residents in their counties Saturday.
The Floyd County units contributed their food to The Salvation Army for the first time this year.
"This has already become a fantastic relationship," said Jeff Brasher, Northwest Georgia Council of Boy Scouts of America executive.
Scouts in the Cedartown units collected food for the Samaritan's Purse Food Pantry, Rockmart area Scouts brought their food to the Rockmart First United Methodist Church Food Pantry, while the food Chattooga Scouts took in is being distributed by the Division of Family and Children Services in Summerville.
A dozen or more members of the Rome Rotary Club also got involved in the sorting and warehousing of food collected during the Scouting for Food campaign Saturday.
Rome's Salvation Army Captain Jason Smith said the program Saturday really helps the Salvation Army to continue its monthly food assistance program.
"We provide families with over 60 pounds of groceries each month," Smith said. "The Can-a-Thon is great here, but we can always use food drives like this."
Scouting for Food coordinator Mary Hardin Thornton said that in past years, the Scouts have typically collected between 3,000 and 4,000 pounds of food during the annual effort.
Smith said approximately 50 families in the Rome area receive the bags of groceries each month. The families are vetted for need by caseworkers that consider family finances and then make an assessment of need.
Scouts fanned out across their home communities with door hangers promoting the drive on Feb. 4, and followed up the effort Saturday, going back through neighborhoods collecting cans. They then spent a couple of hours at The Salvation Army collecting cans from people who drove in with donations.
Article from Rome News-Tribune