Editor's Note: See correction noted at the bottom of this article.
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Continuing a tradition of charitable efforts, hundreds of Boy Scouts took to Jefferson City streets Saturday to spread the word about the upcoming Scouting for Food drive.
Scouting for Food, which began in 1985 as a St. Louis Eagle Scout project and has spread nationwide, began Saturday as members of both the Boy Scouts and Cub Scouts went to hundreds of Jefferson City homes to distribute door hangers asking people to leave donations out March 7 to be collected for the Samaritan Center.
Andrew Branson, assistant scoutmaster with Troop 104 of the Cathedral of St. Joseph, said he expected his troop members to distribute 1,500-2,000 door hangers Saturday morning. Scouts then go with parents or guardians to hang the notices throughout a pre-determined area of the city.
Next Saturday, the scouts will be out again, collecting any donations left on the front porch or steps of people's homes. Branson said the scouts will begin collecting at 9 a.m. March 7.
Ben DeFeo, operations manager of the Samaritan Center, said the Scouting for Food event is one of the center's main sources of food. DeFeo said the early months of the year are difficult for the center as holiday donations dry up, but the need doesn't go away.
"It's a lull period for donations," DeFeo said. "This is a much needed Band-Aid."
Right now, DeFeo said, the center serves approximately 1,400 families. Donations mean the center can use funds available to help people financially, instead of spending the money on food, he said, meaning more people can be helped at one time.
"It's really a critical food drive for us," DeFeo said.
DeFeo and Branson said donations should be non-perishable items and should not include any glass. Some most needed items include peanut butter, dry cereal and oatmeal, canned vegetables and fruits, dry goods, pasta, canned meats, soups or chili. Anyone interested in donating should leave the items in a bag on the front porch or front steps of their home to be picked up March 7.
If possible, Branson said people should staple the door hanger to the bag to notify the scouts passing by that it needs to be picked up.
Also, DeFeo warned, please put bags out early, as scouts begin collections at 10 a.m. and likely will finish around noon or in the early afternoon.
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Correction: Scouting for Food collection of donations will begin at 9 a.m. on Saturday, March 7. The reference to the day of week was incorrect in the original version of this article, which has since been corrected.