Scouting for Food (SFF) is Scouting America National Capital Area Council’s (NCAC’s) largest annual community service project to help feed families in need by collecting non-perishable food and distributing it to local food pantries and food banks throughout the Washington, DC region.
For 40 years, Scouts across the Washington, DC metropolitan area have united to fight hunger through their annual campaign. This fall, our Scouts will once again mobilize thousands of youth and families to collect food donations for neighbors facing food insecurity.
Scouting for Food is one of the largest annual food drives in the region, engaging Scouts aged 5 to 20 across the District of Columbia; Maryland counties including Frederick, Montgomery, Prince George’s, Calvert, Charles, and St. Mary’s; and Virginia counties including Arlington, Fairfax, Loudoun, Prince William, Fauquier, Spotsylvania, Caroline, King George, Stafford, and Culpeper—as well as the cities of Alexandria, Falls Church, Fairfax, Manassas, Manassas Park, and Fredericksburg.
Small Acts. Big Impact.
A bag of groceries may seem small. But when Scouts, families, volunteers, and neighbors all contribute together, those individual acts of generosity become much bigger. They become meals for families, support for local food organizations, stronger communities, and a generation of young people learning that service is part of leadership. That is what Scouting for Food is all about.
Be Part of the Impact
First Saturday of November (November 7, 2026)
Scouts distribute notices at homes throughout their communities to inform the households about the food collection drive and provide specific instructions for the collection in each specific neighborhood.
Second Saturday in November (November 14, 2026)
Scouts return to the homes to collect the bags/boxes of food, and then take the food to their local nonprofit food bank or food pantry.
Will you help us reach our goal of donating 1 Million pounds of food?
A Scout's Promise in Action
WHY: Because no neighbor should have to wonder where their next meal will come from.
Scouting teaches young people to help other people at all times. Scouting for Food transforms those words into action.
Every year, Scouts, families, and volunteers come together to support neighbors experiencing food insecurity. But this is more than collecting cans and boxes. It is about young people discovering that service matters, communities are stronger when we care for one another, and even a simple act of kindness can make a meaningful difference.
For Scouts, it is an opportunity to live the values of the Scout Oath and Scout Law. For our community, it is a reminder of what can happen when thousands of people choose to help.
HOW: Scouts Serving Their Communities
Scouting for Food brings Scouts and community members together for a simple purpose: collect food for neighbors who need it.
Across our council, Scouts work with their units, families, volunteers, community partners, and local food organizations to collect and distribute donated food. Along the way, Scouts experience something bigger than a service project. They learn that leadership begins with recognizing a need and choosing to do something about it.
Every donated item represents a neighbor helping a neighbor. Every Scout who participates sees firsthand how service can strengthen a community.
Scouts, Units, & Families
Participate with your pack, troop, crew, ship, or post and help collect food in your local community. Each unit should have a Scouting for Food coordinator you can reach out to. For further questions, or if you’d like to help amplify the impact of Scouting for Food in additional ways, please reach out to NCAC’s staff advisor for Scouting for Food: Keenan Pallone, Keenan.Pallone@Scouting.org.
While your unit and Scouts are out collecting food and/or helping at collection centers, please take photos and share them with us to show our Scouts in action out in the community! You can submit the photos directly to WeOwnAdventure.com — stories are appreciated but not required for this service initiative.
