Scouting for Food

The Scouting for Food Drive began as a National Good Turn in 1988 and the tradition continues every year at the Garden State Council!

The food drive, which collects non-perishable items, provides much-needed resources to help fight hunger in our communities. One out of five children and one out of every twelve households with seniors go hungry in New Jersey and an estimated 900,000 people rely on food banks just to survive.

All Scouting units are encouraged to participate in the annual Scouting for Food Drive community service initiative.

2023 Event Details

Scouting for Food is a 4-step process.

Step 1: Notify your community on the second Saturday of November using the Door Hangers we can supply to you. Request your door hangers using the “Order Door Hangers” button, below.

Step 2: Return to the same houses one week later and collect their donations.

Step 3: Deliver all non-expired donations to a food bank. Don’t have one nearby? Download the flyer of partnering drop-off locations.

Step 4: Report your service using our form.

Door Hanger Distribution: Nov. 11

Donation Collection: Nov. 18

Unit Leaders: Get this year’s Scouting for Food patch for your members when you submit your service results using our online form by midnight Monday, November 20.

Design of the 2023 patch coming soon!

Reporting Your Impact: Unit Leaders, click the button below to share your Scouting for Food success with Council. Remember that when reporting your volunteer hours, don’t do the math! Simply report the number of volunteers in each category and the number of hours your group spent on Scouting for Food. The Reporting Tool will do the math for you for total volunteer hours!

Our Food Bank Partners

Donated items can be given to your local food pantry, if you have one.

We are also working with the Food Bank of South Jersey and the Community Food Bank of New Jersey to provide dop-off locations throughout our Council area. These locations will be open with volunteers ready to accept your collected items on November 19 between 9 am and 3 pm. These locations are also included on this flyer, available for download.

Donation Drop-Off Locations in 2022 (List Subject to Change)

Burlington County

Beacon of Hope
41 Mill St.
Mount Holly, NJ 08060
Contact: Darlene Trappier, 609-288-9517

Camden County

Food Bank of South Jersey
1501 John Tipton Blvd.
Pennsauken, NJ 08110
Contact: Mari (Mar-eee) Kehoe, 609-519-4959

Cape May County

Holy Redeemer 
1801 Rt. 9, Swainton, NJ 08210
Contact: Nancy Wilson, 609-463-6062, 609-463-6062 or Jackie Lipenta, 215-370-3805

Cape May County

Our Lady of Angels
400 Steel Road, Cape May Courthouse, NJ 08210
Contact: Mike Barrett, 609-685-6907

Cape May County

Bethel Commandment Church
402 S. George Street
Whitesboro, NJ 08252
Contact: Monica Farrow/Bishop Farrow, 609-408-7321

Cumberland County

Gateway
65 Manheim Avenue, Bridgeton, NJ 08302
Contact: Marcus, 856-392-4195
(NOON-2pm only)

Cumberland County

Christ the Good Sheppard
15 North East Avenue, Vineland, NJ
Contact: Carol and Linda, 856-691-2400

Salem County

St. John’s Pentecostal Outreach
22 New Market St., Salem, NJ 08079
Contact: Sonita Johnson, 856-776-1375