Area Boy Scouts on a mission to provide food for the needy

By Bryan McKenzie

Published: October 24, 2008

Central Virginia-area Boy Scouts want you to join them today in doing a good deed by helping feed your neighbors.

The organization is collecting donations for the Thomas Jefferson Area Food Bank in hopes of helping the bank stave off hunger in the coming months.

“The [food bank] needs help. They’ve seen such a great demand at the same time there are fewer donations from corporations and businesses,” said Jay Byrnes, a Cub Scout pack master at Cale Elementary School and the food drive chairman for the Monticello District of the Stonewall Jackson Area Council of the Boy Scouts of America.

“Last Saturday, Scouts passed out about 22,000 door hangers in their communities asking people to put some donations out for the Thomas Jefferson food bank, and we’re going back into the neighborhoods today,” Mr. Byrnes said. “Hopefully, there’ll be food for us to pick up.”

The bank needs help because your neighbors need help.

Employment woes

Virginia Employment Commission figures show nearly 400 local folks were newly unemployed in September, filing new claims for unemployment. The September total is nigh unto twice the number filed in the same period last year and on top of 370 people who applied for unemployment benefits in August.

The area’s September unemployment rate was 3.4 percent, compared with 2.3 percent in the same month last year, and that lack of work translates into a lack of food.

The bank’s parent organization, the Blue Ridge Area Food Bank Network, distributed 157,000 pounds of food in the Shenandoah Valley and Central Virginia last month, compared with 93,000 pounds in September 2007.

“Demand has been high all year long,” said Ruth Jones, spokeswoman for the Blue Ridge network. “Demand traditionally increases in the cold months and we expect it to continue that trend. There’s going to be a lot of need this winter and a big increase during the holiday season.”

Hike in demand

In September, the bank, which serves most of Central Virginia, distributed 15,000 pounds of food to local folks and organizations. That was 3,000 pounds more than it distributed in August.

It’s not just a local thing. Feeding America, a national food bank organization, found that nearly 99 percent of local food banks have seen increases in demand, while more than 81 percent didn’t have enough donations and contributions to cover the need.

Last year the Scout effort, including Central Virginia and the Shenandoah Valley, collected about 31,000 pounds of food. On average, the Scouts collect about 20,000 pounds each year, Mr. Byrnes said.

Mr. Byrnes said there aren’t many Scouts in the city, so few in Charlottesville received the invitation. They may still give, however.

“We’ll have a Scout troop at the Giant store on Pantops, so anyone who wants to contribute can bring food there,” he said. “We hope people will give.”