Scouts’ Food Drive Yields Close to 400,000 Pounds

An army of Boy Scouts took to the streets across Orange County Saturday, knocking on doors and collecting nearly 400,000 pounds of food for the needy.

About 20,000 Boy Scouts, Eagle Scouts, parents and volunteers from Orange County National Guard units helped out in the annual food drive, part of a nationwide effort to fill the cupboards of food banks before the holidays.

The canned food, crackers and other non-perishables will be distributed to 280 agencies throughout the county, said Devon Dougherty, a spokesman for the Boy Scouts.

“We had beans, crackers, soups, and pork and beans,” Dougherty said. “We even had clothes donated. People really opened up their hearts to help those less fortunate.”

The bright, sunny weather also contributed, making it a pleasant day for the Scouts to walk the neighborhoods and ask people for donations, he said.

The food collected Saturday will be enough to feed about 150,000 people for three to four months, the spokesman said.

For those who missed the collection Saturday, it’s not too late. Dougherty said anyone still wishing to contribute may drop off donations at any Household Bank office or at the Food Distribution Center, at 426 W. Almond Ave., Orange.