November 2-9, Scouting for America participated in the Scouting for Food (SFF) drive, an initiative that focuses on feeding the local community. This national food drive starts every year on the first Saturday of November and is a way to directly support food-insecure families and individuals in the Shippensburg area.

Scouts and their families were divided into teams and delivered empty paper grocery bags to neighborhoods throughout Shippensburg. On November 9, they returned to collect the bags that were filled with non-perishable donations. The bags were then delivered to the Shippensburg Fairground, where they were sorted and organized. This year was the second year in a row that SFF benefitted Big Red’s Cupboard, the SCRC’s Hound Pack Program and the Maranatha Ministry.

 The Scouts that continue to participate in this initiative are from Cub Scout Pack 251 (grades K-5), BSA Scout Troop 120 (boys grades 6-12), and BSA Scout Troop 2519 (girls grades 6-12).

Jennifer S. Millburn, the director of housing and residence life at Shippensburg University, is the scoutmaster for Troop 2519 and continues to organize and contribute to the SFF drive. Millburn proudly shared that girls have been a part of Cub Scouts and the BSA Scouts since 2019. She also noted that the Cub Scout Pack 215 and BSA Troop 120 have been serving the local Shippensburg community for over 45 years. 

Scouting for America fights hunger throughout the Shippensburg community
Scouts and family members sorting and organizing non-perishable food donations.

Millburn discussed how it was hard to see the King’s Kettle Food Bank in Shippensburg come to a close, although this did not stop the community from coming together to contribute to the food drive. 

“I appreciate that new partnerships were formed between the Scouts and local folks in need, without missing a beat. Scouting teaches kids to be good citizens and helpers in their community and I love seeing the Scouts, and their families, be giving of their time and energy to make this happen each year,” said Millburn.

The Shippensburg Scouting units look forward to continuing to build upon their relationships with local pantries. The campus community is welcome to join the SFF initiative each November to join in the sorting of teams, sign-ups are made available each year starting in mid-October. 

The Shippensburg Scouting units are excited to continue and build upon their relationships with our local pantries. Shippensburg University students can get involved each November to be part of the sorting teams – sign ups come out in mid-October.