Helping Harvest Fresh Food Bank and Hawk Mountain Council, BSA are joining for the Scouting for Food Drive.
The annual community effort aims to alleviate food insecurity in Berks and Schuylkill counties during the holiday season.
Donations from the drive go directly to Helping Harvest’s network of local food pantries, supporting individuals and families in need, the organization said in a news release.
Hawk Mountain Council has been a supporter of Helping Harvest through the annual drive since 1987.
The drive is made possible through the generosity of local residents who contribute essential non-perishable food items each year.
Scouts distributed door hangers last week throughout area neighborhoods with instructions on how to participate.
The scouts will return Saturday to collect donations left outside homes by 8:30 a.m.
The donations will be taken to local drop-off sites or directly to the Helping Harvest warehouse in Spring Township.
Last year, scouts collected 47,968 pounds of food, with the help of 45 volunteers who dedicated 100 hours sorting and packaging donations on the day of the drive.
This year, Helping Harvest is calling on community members to help meet a greater need, as current food supplies are lower than last year.
Feeding America’s Map the Meal Gap study highlights an urgent need for food assistance in our region, the release said.
In Berks County, 51,680 residents, or 12.1%, experience food insecurity, with rates of 16% even higher among children. In Schuylkill County, 19,200 people, or 13.4%, and 5,050 children, or 17.8%, face similar struggles.
Rising poverty rates and food insecurity underscore the importance of the community’s support during this time, the release said.
Helping Harvest serves as the leading provider of food assistance in the two counties.
Helping Harvest last year delivered food to more than 350 distribution sites, providing over $19 million in food to 119,000 residents.
As a member of Feeding America, the nation’s largest hunger-relief organization, Helping Harvest is committed to fighting hunger and ensuring that no one in our community goes without food.
To volunteer or donate, visit helpingharvest.org.
