2007 Handout for Unit Coordinators (PDF Document, 90 KBytes) (Revised October 4, 2007).  This document and the food donation lists are the handouts distributed at the coordinator orientations.

Contact homeowners associations at least six weeks ahead of the bag distribution date to discuss methods for publicizing Scouting for Food with residents

Create route maps that can be re-used year after year.  Count the number of houses on each route. 

Put a note in each bag explaining the purpose of Scouting for Food and listing desirable food items. 

Here are some bag note examples:

An alternative to putting a note into the bag is a "door hanger"

Below are some additional examples of bag notes available as scanned JPEG images.  Click on the thumbnail image to obtain a larger image.

Pack 1155 Pack 71
Click here for the Scouting for Food can logo:
Large (33KB GIF), Medium (15KB GIF), Small (6KB GIF).		 Scouting for Food Can Image

Having trouble figuring out how many housing units are in your assigned territory?  Try using the aerial photography available on www.terraserver-usa.com, Live Local, Google Maps.  

Not all Scouts will be able to deliver bags on the assigned day.  Allow Scouts to deliver bags on alternate days to maximize the number of houses receiving a bag.

The two best ways to increase the amount of food collected are (1) publicize, and (2) knock on doors of those houses that didn't put out a bag.  A Scout in uniform standing at the door with a Scouting for Food bag in hand will bring out the food.

Please forward the following information to the District Scouting for Food Coordinator as soon as possible after the food is collected (no later than the end of the collection weekend):

  • Number of youth participating in either the bag distribution or food collection activities
  • Number of adults participating in either the bag distribution or food collection activities
  • Approximate number of bags distributed
  • Food drop-off location (collection site name)

Enter your service hour participation into the Good Turn for America web site.  For more information on how to access that web site please read our local instructions.

Summary of "best practices" to increase your collections:

  1. Include bag notes
  2. Knock on doors on collection day
  3. Post physical reminder signs at key neighborhood entry points or on community sign boards
  4. Send email reminders to residents mid-week
  5. Put collection boxes in the community centers -- a great Tiger den project
  6. Get notices put in the HOA newsletter prior to the event
  7. Sweep the neighborhood again during the afternoon
  8. Coordinate with other service organizations, so that other groups do not collect food at the same time. Many Girl Scout troops will conduct food drives for the Holiday Coalition, but they should be conducting their drives around the first Saturday in December. In this case, you can't do much about it this year, but you make contact and coordinate for the following year.

Click here for Scouting for Food patch information.

Click here for a silly, two part skit that introduces Scouting for Food to Cub Scouts.