Scouting for Food

January 31, 2026 Door Hanger Day
February 7, 2025 Food Collection Day

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The Scouting for Food community service project teaches youth to truly “help other people at all times.”

Inform – Collect – Sort – Deliver – Report

Are you ready to make a difference? Get involved today!

Each night, children and families across our communities go to bed hungry. When a Scout helps those in need, they develop kindness, compassion, and a lifelong desire to make the world a better place.

Scouting for Food is one of Scouting America’s best-known national service projects, carried out each year by councils across the country. The first national Scouting for Food drive began in 1986 as a National Good Turn, collecting more than 60 million food items that year alone. Since then, Scouts nationwide have continued the tradition of fighting hunger and serving their neighbors through this annual effort.

Scouts in the Northwest Georgia Council will take part once again, hitting the streets on Saturday, February 7, 2026, from 9:30 AM to 12:00 PM, to collect food for those in need and deliver it to local food banks across Northwest Georgia.

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How to participate:

First Visit: Saturday, January 31, 2026 is door hanger day! Scouts drop off a Scouting for Food doorhanger ideally at least one week before the pick-up day. The hanger asks residents to fill a bag with non-perishable foods, or items and leave it on their porch to be picked up in observance of Scouting for Food Day on Saturday, February 7, 2026.

Second Visit: On Saturday, February 7, 2026, Scouts visit neighborhoods with extra bags, or boxes to collect items placed on porches. If the resident has not placed a bag or box on their front porch, Scouts knock on the door and ask to see if they have any non-perishable food or items to donate.

Other Ways to Help:
Many Scout units get creative in how they collect food! Some partner with local businesses or churches to place donation boxes, while others work through their chartered organizations or host food drives at community events. Some units even seek donations from businesses to purchase food in bulk. Whatever approach a unit chooses, every effort helps fight hunger and makes the world a better place—one can at a time.

 

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What can be donated:

Canned and Dry Food Products are needed (no frozen, glass or perishable items please!)  In addition to canned foods, Scouts will be happy to accept the following items: 

• Diapers (all sizes)
• Toothpaste (all ages)
• Toothbrushes (med/soft)
• Deodorant (antiperspirant)
• Toilet Paper
• Tissue
• Wipes (hypo-allergenic)
• Razors
• Q-Tips
• Soap
• Bandages
• Combs/Brushes/Picks
• Feminine Hygiene Items
• First-Aid Supplies
• Laundry Soap
• Pet Food 

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Tips to remember for Scouts going door-to-door:

• Use the buddy system and be safety conscious.
• Never enter a house that is not yours.
• Scouts are never to ride in the back of pick-ups.
• Always wear safety belts while riding in a vehicle.
• Always make sure you are accompanied by an adult.
• Please wear your Scout uniform.
• Be friendly and courteous to everyone you meet.
• Remember to thank people even if they don't contribute.
• Never start before 9:30 AM to avoid waking up residents.

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District Contacts

Each district has a Scouting for Food Chairperson who has obtained local drop sites for Scouts to deliver the collected food and care items right in their own hometown or county. Please feel free to contact them with any questions or concerns regarding the process. 

Three Rivers: Tammy Burek: tamela.burek@scouting.org
Etowah: George.Henington@scouting.org