Scouting for Food 2026

Communities Helping Communities

Scouting for Food is bringing together Scouts, families, schools, municipalities, businesses, faith communities, civic organizations, volunteers, and community partners to help Idaho families facing food insecurity.

This year, Mountain West Council is working toward an ambitious community goal:

250,000 Pounds of Food and Essential Items

Donations will support the Idaho Food Bank, local food pantries, school pantries, and participating charter partner food ministries.

Community, Not Credit

Scouting provides youth leadership and helps bring people together, but the mission belongs to the entire community.

Every donation matters. Every volunteer matters. Every organization has something valuable to contribute.

Important Dates

Saturday, November 7, 2026

Door Hanger Distribution

Scout units and participating volunteers will distribute Scouting for Food information throughout confirmed service areas.

Saturday, November 14, 2026

Community Food Collection

Scouts and community volunteers will collect donations in participating neighborhoods and staff approved community collection locations.

If you receive a door hanger, a pickup is planned for your area. If your neighborhood is not included, please use one of the community drop-off locations listed below.

How You Can Help

Donate Food and Essential Items

Community members may donate through:

• A neighborhood collection served by Scouts
• A staffed storefront collection
• A participating business, school, municipality, or faith community
• A community drop-off location
• A local food pantry

Volunteer

Opportunities may include:

• Distributing door hangers
• Staffing an approved collection site
• Supporting a community food drive
• Helping receive, transport, sort, or weigh donations
• Sharing accurate campaign information
• Connecting local organizations with opportunities to serve

Engage Your Organization

Businesses, schools, civic organizations, municipalities, churches, food pantries, and community groups may participate by:

• Hosting a staffed collection location
• Organizing an employee or community food drive
• Supporting a local pantry
• Providing volunteers
• Promoting the campaign through existing communication channels
• Offering transportation, storage, event space, or community connections
• Creating a youth service opportunity

Join the Community Response

Tell us how your organization would like to participate and what resources or connections it can contribute.

Community Partner Registry Form – Fill out form

How Scout Units Can Serve

Every pack, troop, crew, and ship can select the service model that best fits its capacity.

Neighborhood Collection

• Select a coordinated service area
• Distribute door hangers on November 7
• Return for scheduled pickup on November 14
• Deliver donations to the assigned receiving location

Storefront Collection

• Coordinate the proposed location with the District Scouting for Food Coordinator
• Obtain approval from the store
• Staff the collection area with Scouts and registered adults
• Receive voluntary donations
• Keep the area safe and orderly
• Remove all donations and materials when the activity ends

Charter Partner Pantry Support

If a unit’s charter partner or church operates a food pantry, the unit may conduct its Scouting for Food effort directly for that organization.

The food can remain in the community where it is needed most. The unit only needs to report the total pounds collected so the impact can be included in the campaign results.

Community Collection Support

Units may also support an approved community collection site, public event, or receiving location.

Unit Leaders

Contact your District Executive or District Scouting for Food Coordinator to identify how and where your unit will serve.

Most-Needed Items

Please consider donating shelf-stable food and essential personal-care products.

Fruits and Vegetables

• Canned vegetables
• Fruit canned in juice or light syrup
• Tomato products and pasta sauces
• 100% fruit or vegetable juice

Proteins

• Canned or dried beans and peas
• Peanut butter and other nut butters
• Canned meat and fish
• Soup, stew, and chili

Grains and Pantry Staples

• Whole-grain pasta
• Brown rice
• Oats and oatmeal
• Low-sugar cereal
• Cooking oil
• Flour
• Baking supplies
• Herbs and spices

Dairy and Milk Alternatives

• Shelf-stable, boxed, canned, or dehydrated milk
• Rice, soy, or almond milk alternatives

Personal-Care Items

• Toilet paper
• Diapers
• Toothpaste and toothbrushes
• Soap and shampoo
• Deodorant

[COMPLETE MOST-NEEDED ITEMS LIST LINK]

Please do not place perishable food in unattended collection containers. Perishable donations should only be delivered directly to an approved Idaho Food Bank or local pantry location.

Community Drop-Off Locations

Approved community collection locations will be posted as they are confirmed.

Each listing should include:

• Location name
• Street address
• Community
• Collection date
• Collection hours
• Receiving organization
• Any special instructions

Boise Area

Locations coming soon

Meridian, Eagle, and Kuna Area

Locations coming soon

Nampa and Caldwell Area

Locations coming soon

Twin Falls and Magic Valley

Locations coming soon

Additional Communities

Locations coming soon

Please check this page regularly for confirmed locations and updated information.

Service in Action

Kids Helping Kids at Boise Hawks Scout Night

Scouting for Food 2026 began with a hands-on youth service project at Boise Hawks Scout Night.

Project Results

• 318 hygiene kits assembled
• More than 30 youth participated
• Most participating youth were not Scouts
• All supplies were donated

Scouts and community youth worked side by side to assemble hygiene kits for local community schools and youth-serving organizations.

The project demonstrated a powerful idea:

Scouting can create opportunities for the entire community to serve, regardless of Scouting affiliation.

Communities Helping Communities. Kids Helping Kids.

Upcoming Community Engagement

October 24, 2026

Scouting for Food Community Kickoff at Cabela’s

The Cabela’s kickoff will provide a public opportunity to learn about Scouting for Food, connect with participating organizations, and identify ways to donate or serve.

Additional details will be posted as they are confirmed.

October 31, 2026

Boise State Football Flag Ceremony

Thirty Scouts in full field uniform will participate in the flag ceremony at a Boise State football game.

This opportunity connects youth leadership, citizenship, visibility, and community service while helping raise awareness of the upcoming Scouting for Food collection.

November 7, 2026

Door Hanger Distribution

Scout units and volunteers will distribute campaign information in coordinated service areas.

November 14, 2026

Community Food Collection

Scouts, units, food pantries, businesses, municipalities, civic organizations, JustServe participants, and community volunteers will help collect food and essential items for local families.

The 2026 campaign plan also includes community collection activities, school engagement pilots, America250 Idaho Ambassador activation, JustServe support, and expanded collection-site development. 

Share Your Scouting for Food Story

Scouting for Food is measured in more than pounds.

It is also measured through:

• Youth learning to serve
• Families helping neighbors
• Businesses supporting local communities
• Schools caring for students
• Volunteers discovering new ways to contribute
• Organizations forming lasting community relationships

Help us capture the impact by sharing:

• A brief story
• A volunteer experience
• A photograph
• A community partnership
• A youth leadership example
• A statement from someone who participated

Stories may support campaign reporting, volunteer recognition, community outreach, media engagement, and future service planning.

Share Your Scouting Story – Fill out form

Reporting Campaign Results

Participating units and organizations will be asked to report:

• Pounds collected or an approximate weight
• Youth participants
• Adult volunteers
• Organizations involved
• Collection locations
• Receiving food pantry or organization
• A brief story or campaign highlight
• Approved photographs, when available

Exact precision is less important than ensuring every participating community and organization is included in the overall impact.

Campaign Coordination

Council Coordination

George Thomas
Council Scouting for Food Coordinator
george.thomas@scouting.org

Be Part of Something Bigger

Communities Helping Communities

Neighbors Helping Neighbors

Kids Helping Kids

Together, we can collect 250,000 pounds of food and essential items while building stronger relationships, developing young leaders, and helping Idaho communities respond to a shared need.

Community Partner Registry Form – Fill out form