Scouting for Food Letter

Scouters,
Now is the time to start planning for one of the Good Turn for America projects that the Indian Waters Council supports every year, Scouting for Food 2010. This year the bags will go out on Saturday, February 6 and will then be picked up on Saturday, February 13. Our theme will be “Strong Youth, Strong Values, Strong Community” as Scouting celebrating its 100 year anniversary. Indian Waters Council will again try to top 100,000 units of food collected council-wide.

The food your unit collects can be taken to any pantry or food bank of your choice. A list of pantries that will be open on Saturday, February 13, from 12:00 noon until 4:00 pm. The information on patches, ribbons, bagnotes, and general “Scouting for Food” information is located at the bottom of this page.

If you want an Indian Waters Council patch your unit will have to pre-order and pre-pay ($1.50 per patch) for the patches at the Scout Service Center by Friday, January 22, 2010. There will be no second order placed with the patch company.

As in years past, ribbons can be earned by the participating units based on the number of active boys in the unit and the number of food items collected. Your District Captain can provide further details.

Once again we will be utilizing the Tally Form to document the number of weight of items collected. The Tally Form will be collected at many of the area pantries and preordered patches will be distributed that day a the various food pantries. All Tally Forms must be turned in or faxed in by Friday, February 26, 2010 for the unit to be eligible for ribbons.

Your “Scouting for Food” District Captain will be calling you by January to answer your questions and to give you additional information. Please tell them that your unit wants to help with this wonderfully worthwhile Good Turn for America project!

Yours in Scouting,
Bruce Holmes

SFF Council Chairman

Scouting for Food: How It Works
1. By January, a “Land Rush” may be held in each district where each unit will choose the territory it wants to cover. If a “Land Rush” is not held, the district Captain will make the needed arrangements to assign territories to units.
2. Each participating unit needs to place a bag note in each bag identifying the person from each Scout unit and their contact phone number. Include the name of the food agency that will be receiving the food. On Saturday, February 6, each Scout unit divides into working groups paired with adult drivers. These groups place a bag on every front door in their territory. No bags are to be placed in or around any mailboxes!!
3. On Saturday, February 13, the working groups and their adult drivers return to pick up the bags. Some units like to leave a thank you note at each of the homes donating food. Remember Scouts are not allowed to ride in the back of trucks, or hanging out of open car or van doors!!
4. Each unit should have a checking station (usually located at their Charter Organization or at a Leader’s house) where:
        a. The items are checked to make sure that they are in good shape;
        b. All boxes and cans are counted so that an overall total number of food items collected can be reported
            on the “Tally Form.”
5. With smiles on your faces and the knowledge that you have done a very good turn, your unit then takes the collected items to the pre-selected food agency of your choice.
6. Your unit fills out the “Tally Form” and hands this form to the designated Scouting for Food person at the pantry. Units may fax or take the Tally Form to the Scout Service Center. Tally forms are due no later than 1:00 pm on Friday, February 26, 2010 for the unit to be eligible for any ribbons.
7. You can help your unit to collect more food by asking that your Church and local businesses display information telling people to watch their front doors for the “Scouting for Food” bags.
8. It has been found helpful to post signs in neighborhood communities, and homeowner websites before pick-up day, reminding residents of the time and date for the food pick-up.
9. Scouting for Food patches are available and must be pre-ordered and paid for through the Scout Shop on or before Friday, January 22, 2010. Patches are $1.50 each.

Unit Do’s and Don’t’s
1. Your unit should work only its assigned territory unless you clear it with your District Captain. It is crucial that your unit covers its assigned area thoroughly.
2. On boundary streets, collect only on your designated side of the street (unless given other instructions).
3. Skip apartment units with controlled access and/or “no solicitation” rules.
4. Collect from private homes only. Do not solicit in front of grocery stores or other commercial establishments unless you receive their approval.
5. Be certain Cub Scouts and Boy Scouts are adequately supervised. They should be in uniform and should travel in groups of two or more with two adults also!
6. Collection bags should be distributed door-to-door and placed in or on the door. Do not put them in or on the mailboxes as this violates a federal law. Scouts must also be careful not to trample plants and bushes.
7. It is strongly recommended you include in each bag a note giving your Scout unit number, a contact name and phone number from your unit in order to personally handle any missed bags or other problems.
8. Food should be collected on February 13, beginning no earlier than 9:00 am. Starting too early results in many missed bags!! Collect the food in the same area where you distributed bags and be sure that you cover the entire area. Check each house where a bag was left—bags not collected by the units create a “bad” image for Scouting.
9. Boy Scouts of America policy states that Cub Scouts and Boy Scouts never ride in the back of an open truck or hanging out of open car or van doors!!
10. Remember to check all collected items—throw out bulging cans and opened containers.
11. Count all items. (This is a great activity for a group of parents.) It is essential that the total number of food items collected  and the place where you take your collected food be reported on the Tally Form and either given to the designated person at the food pantry or taken to the Scout Service Center.
12. Problems and questions should be directed to your District Captain.

2010 Scouting for Food Reminders
Scouters, to ensure a successful food drive for your unit, please do the following:
1. Pre-pay your order for Scouting for Food patches to the Scout Shop before 1:00 pm Friday, January 22, 2010.
2. Please register your Scout unit with the food pantry of your choice by February 5 and verify their receiving hours. This ensures that each pantry has sufficient personnel to quickly process collected food items.
3. Pre-ordered Scouting for Food patches should be available for Scout units to receive at the food pantry of your choice. Scouting for Food patches will be distributed after a Tally Form is submitted for your unit and given to a Scouting volunteer. Other Tally Forms may be faxed to the Scout Office but are due no later than the 1:00 pm deadline on Friday, February 26, 2010. Please include on your tally form the total number of service hours completed by both adults and Scouts from your unit for both weekends!
4. Utilize the bag notes with the contact name and phone number of a representative for your Scouting unit. (Do not use the Scout Office number or phone number of anyone else without permission!!)
5. Reminder signs at neighborhood entrances, notices on homeowner websites and church bulletins are a few ways to help remind the public to put food bags out to collect.
6. Please try to “share the wealth” with a smaller and a larger food pantry in your area. Smaller pantries are often overlooked and go without food donations each year!

Scouting for Food 2010 Unit Ribbons
For the 2010 Scouting for Food drive, each participating Cub pack and Scout troop will be able to earn ribbons that reflect the unit’s level of accomplishment.
White Ribbon: Each pack and troop that collects an average of at least 20 food items up to and including 39 food items per active Cub or Scout in the unit will earn a white ribbon.
Red Ribbon: Each pack and troop that collects an average of at least 40 food items up to and including 59 food items per active Cub or Scout in the unit will earn a red ribbon.
Blue Ribbon: Each pack and troop that collects an average of 60 or more food items per active Cub or Scout in the unit will earn a blue ribbon.
Gold Ribbon: Gold ribbons will be awarded to the pack and troop in each district that collect the highest average number of food items per Cub or Scout in the unit. Gold ribbons will also be awarded to the pack and troop in each district that collects the largest total food items.
1. The pack’s or troop’s average number of food items per active Cub or Scout in the unit will be calculated as follows:
        a. The total number of food items collected by the unit will be divided by the total number of active Cubs or Scouts
            in the unit as reported to the District Scouting for Food Captain at the time of initial contact.
        b. Note: This calculation will not be based on the number of Cubs or Scouts in the unit who actually participate
            in the Scouting for Food drive.
2. If a Cub pack and a Scout troop work together on the Scouting for Food drive, each unit will have the opportunity to earn the applicable ribbon. Each unit’s average in this case will be calculated as follows:
        a. Separate Tally Forms must be filled out for each unit involved with the total number of food items divided between
            the two units. The leadership of the units will determine how this division of items will be calculated. Each unit’s average
            will then be calculated and the applicable ribbon determined.
        b. Note: This calculation will not be based on the total number of Cubs and Scouts in both units who actually participate in
            the Scouting for Food drive.
Because the determination of the proper ribbon is based on the number of food items collected, it is very important that each unit take an accurate count of items, complete and turn in its Tally Form no later than Friday, February 26, 2010. Note: Units that did not turn in a Tally Form to a volunteer Scout representative at the pantry where they gave their food will need to fax or bring it to the Scout Service Center by 1:00 pm on Friday, February 26, 2010. Units not meeting this deadline will not be eligible to earn any Scouting for Food ribbons.