Boy Scouts Go Door-to-Door to Collect Food for Bay Area Food Banks on Nov. 17

Nationwide food drive helps meet crucial need for Thanksgiving

One of the nation’s largest single-day food drives takes place Saturday, November 17, when Boy Scouts will go door-to-door collecting nonperishable food items for local food banks.

In the Bay Area, more than 40,000 Boy Scouts, Cub Scouts, Venturers, Explorers and their supporters will be “Scouting For Food” by picking up boxed or bagged nonperishable food items placed on doorsteps by 9 a.m. Saturday, November 17. The Scouts’ goal is to collect 450,000 pounds of food this year in the Bay Area.

Residences on the Scouts’ collection routes will receive a door-hanger promoting the drive on Saturday, November 10. Residents who do not receive a door-hanger are not on a collection route, but they can still contribute by dropping off donations on November 17 between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. at locations listed below.

Scout troops, including the Piedmont Council, are also hosting online Virtual Food Drives to help raise money for food banks to purchase their most-needed food items.  

“We’re bracing for our busiest holiday season yet. Each month, hundreds of families are calling us for help for the very first time,” said Suzan Bateson, executive director of the Alameda County Community Food Bank. “Food banks rely on the Scouting for Food drive to provide healthy staples that will go directly to families for their Thanksgiving and holiday meals over the coming weeks.”

“We can take substantial steps toward ending hunger by working together,” said Tim Buchen of the San Francisco Bay Area Council of Boy Scouts of America. “But even with 40,000 Scouts on collection routes, we can’t hit every doorstep. So it’s critical that people help us out by dropping off food at their local site or participating in a Scout troop’s Virtual Food Drive.”

Whole Foods Market, Safeway, Lucky, Mi Pueblo Food Center and Berkeley Bowl locations throughout the Bay Area have in-store barrels to accept donations for Bay Area food banks throughout the holiday season.

ALAMEDA COUNTY (9)

Berkeley
St. Mary Magdalen School
2005 Berryman St.

Castro Valley
Proctor Elementary School
7520 Redwood Road
Fremont
Latter Day Saints Church
3551 Decoto Road
Hayward
Southland Mall
660 West Winton Ave. (Sears Auto Mall parking lot)
Livermore
Lucky Supermarket
2000 Portola Blvd.
Pleasanton
Walmart
4501 Rosewood Drive
Oakland
Alameda County Community Food Bank
7900 Edgewater Drive

Montclair Elementary School
1757 Mountain Blvd., south parking lot

Grocery Outlet
2900 Broadway
San Leandro
Boy Scout Office/Leadership Training Center
1001 Davis St.
CONTRA COSTA COUNTY (11)
Antioch
Antioch Latter Day Saints Church
3013 Rio Grande Drive

Antioch Latter Day Saints Stake Center
2350 Jeffery Way
Brentwood
Brentwood Latter Day Saints Church
1101 McClarren Road
Concord
Food Bank of Contra Costa and Solano
4010 Nelson Ave.

Farm Bureau Hall
5554 Clayton Road

Oak Grove Latter Day Saints Church
2930 Treat Blvd.
Danville
Danville Latter Day Saints Stake Center
655 Old Orchard Drive
Discovery Bay
Fire Station #59
1685 Bixler Road

Richmond
Hilltop Latter Day Saints Church
4351 Hilltop Drive
Lafayette
Moraga Latter Day Saints Church
3776 Via Granada
Pleasant Hill
Pleasant Hill Latter Day Saints Church
555 Boyd Road

MARIN COUNTY (1)

NovatoMarin Food Bank
75 Digital Drive
San Rafael
Boy Scouts of America
225 West End Avenue

SAN FRANCISCO COUNTY (1)

San Francisco
San Francisco Food Bank
900 Pennsylvania Ave.


SANTA CLARA COUNTY (4)

Los Altos
Los Altos City Hall
One North San Antonio Road

Mountain View
El Camino Hospital
2500 Grant Road

Palo Alto
Latter Day Saints Church
3865 Middlefield Road

San Jose
Second Harvest Food Bank
750 Curtner Ave.


SAN MATEO COUNTY (1)

San Carlos
Second Harvest Food Bank
1051 Bing Street

SOLANO COUNTY (3)
Benicia
Benicia City Park
250 E. L St.

Fairfield
Food Bank of Contra Costa and Solano
2339 Courage Drive, Suite F
Vallejo
Elks Lodge
2850 Redwood Parkway