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28th annual food drive provides good training for Boy Scouts, meals for those in need

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. — Helping the community and being a Boy Scout go hand-in-hand.

Local Scouts are doing just that as they go door-to door this month collecting nonperishable food for the 28th annual Scouting for Food benefitting Ozarks Food Harvest and its network of 270 pantries and programs.

Last year’s drive collected a record 29,745 pounds of food and $442 to provide 27,000 meals.

Kurtis Grothoff, district executive for the Boy Scouts of America in Springfield and surrounding areas, sees many benefits from Scouts partnering with nonprofits to address pressing community needs.

“The Boy Scouts of the Ozark Trails Council in southwest Missouri participate in the Scouting for Food drive because it is rooted in the very foundation of the Scouting movement and its dedication to implement good character development and morals for the future leaders of our communities, country and world,” Grothoff said. “Scouts learn how to take care of others and their community and they do so by giving their own time and energy to help someone in need.”

Plastic grocery sacks will be dropped off in neighborhoods throughout the month of March, with pick-up typically taking place the following weekend. The drive wraps up on Saturday, March 25 with a one-day, community-wide food drive at four Springfield Walmart locations.

Community members can either donate food in grocery sacks left on their door, or donors can give at Walmart stores on Independence and Campbell from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. and Walmart Neighborhood Markets on East Republic and South Glenstone from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. on March 25.

Donations will also be accepted at the Ozark Trails Council headquarters, 1616 S. Eastgate, and at Ozarks Food Harvest throughout the week leading up to March 25.

“We look forward to working with the Boy Scouts every year. We’re grateful for their enthusiasm and dedication to helping others,” said Denise Gibson, Ozarks Food Harvest director of development and communication.

Ozarks Food Harvest will provide the donations to its network of 270 pantries and programs across 28 counties in southwest Missouri. Through this project, local Scouts have provided nearly 160,000 meals over the last 11 years.

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About Ozarks Food Harvest — The Food Bank

Ozarks Food Harvest is the Feeding America food bank for southwest Missouri, serving 270 organizations across 28 Ozarks counties. The Food Bank provides 15 million meals annually to more than 261,000 unduplicated individuals. Learn more at ozarksfoodharvest.org, facebook.com/ozarksfoodharvest or twitter.com/ozksfoodharvest.