Boy Scouts Help Salvation Army by Collecting 5.5 Tons of Food

The Boy Scouts of the Inland Empire helped The Salvation Army’s San Bernardino Corps feed hungry people by collecting more than five and a half tons of food over two weekends. “That is a lot of food, but we need it,” said Major Daniel Henderson, Corps Officer. “We will be using this food primarily in the gift boxes we’ll give to area families in need at Christmas, but it will also help supplement our daily meal program, including special holiday meals we are serving on Thanksgiving and Christmas Day.” After standing in front of Stater Bros. stores on Nov. 2 and Nov. 9, the Boy Scouts collected 11,004 lbs. of food. Although this is the first time they’ve actually weighed it, it may not be the first year they’ve collected this much. They have collected tons of food for the Salvation Army and other charities with meal programs for the past several years. “There are a lot of needy people out there, so it may not go far, but hopefully it will help,” said Denise Wampole, Inland Empire Scouting for Food Coordinator. Boy Scouts from San Bernardino, Rialto, Colton, Highland, Grand Terrace, Fontana, and Bloomington collected food for the Salvation Army. They were participating in a nationwide event the Boy Scouts of America calls “Scouting for Food.” Each Scouting for Food drive benefits a local charity. For instance, not only did troops from San Bernardino and nearby communities collect food for the Salvation Army, a troop from Lake Arrowhead that is part of the same Arrowhead District as those helping the Salvation Army collected food for a shelter in Blue Jay. The San Bernardino Salvation Army will put the food to good use. On Thanksgiving Day, it hosts a Thanksgiving Dinner that often brings in 300 people. Although much of the food served at that dinner is fresh, some of the non-perishable items the Boy Scouts collect may be included. In December, the San Bernardino Corps assembles holiday food baskets for more than 600 local families. Canned food donations received from the Boy Scouts will be included in those baskets. In addition to the holiday baskets, a delicious Christmas dinner is served on Christmas Day to those in need. And if there’s still any of the five-and-a-half tons of food left over after Christmas, the San Bernardino Corps also needs food every day for up to 75 people at its Hospitality House homeless shelter and up to 200 people who receive a free dinner served six nights a week at its 746 W. Fifth Street location. More than 40,000 meals are served annually at the Fifth Street location.