WAYS for SCOUTS to FIGHT HUNGER in ARLINGTON

There are many things Boy Scout and Girl Scout troops can do to help the Arlington Food Assistance Center (AFAC) fight hunger in Arlington.  AFAC also welcomes boys and girls who want to develop individual projects focused on hunger or poverty issues.

All volunteers under the age of 18 must bring a copy of the Minor Hold Harmless form signed by a parent or guardian to volunteer at AFAC. 

Please contact Puwen Lee or Laura Jackson in the Volunteer Department at AFAC (volunteer4afac@afac.org or 703-845-8486) for more information about any of these opportunities.

Leafleting

AFAC has had great success publicizing food drives and other events by having volunteers leaflet neighborhoods.  Two or more teens can go door-to-door leaving information about food drives.  There will be leafleting opportunities in November & December for our Holiday Food Drives and in May for the Letter Carriers Food Drive.  There may be other times during the year when we’d like leaflets distributed.  Please encourage your older Scouts to email Laura Jackson at laura.jackson@afac.org if they’d like to leaflet for AFAC.

Poster Making

Several troops helped AFAC publicize the Letter Carriers Food Drive in May 2009 by making posters and hanging them in their neighborhoods.  We’d like even more troops to help this year.  We may need posters at other times of the year as well so contact Laura Jackson at laura.jackson@afac.org if your troop is willing to help make posters.

Scout Bagging Days

On the first and third Wednesday of each month during the school year from 2:30-3:30 pm, Scout troops can arrange to come bag rice, oatmeal or beans.  AFAC buys these products in bulk for a good price.  Then volunteers help by re-packaging them in family-size bags.  We can accommodate up to 15 people (adults and children) in a group.  Troops with scouts ages 7-9 should have a 3:1 child to grown-up ratio. Please contact Puwen Lee at puwen.lee@afac.org to reserve a bagging day for your troop.

Gleaning

Troops can help AFAC by picking fresh fruits and vegetables from local farms and orchards or by sorting vegetables and fruit indoors.  Contact Puwen Lee at puwen.lee@afac.org to find out how to arrange for a fall or spring gleaning day.

Baking

Troops can bake cookies or brownies and assemble them in Holiday Thank You bags to be given to the many stores and businesses that support AFAC.

Sorting and Lifting at Special Events

The Boy Scouts Food Drive in November, Canstruction in April and the Letter Carriers Food Drive in May are a few of the annual food drives held for AFAC.  We need strong volunteers to help us sort, lift and carry the many, many cans of food that come in during these special events.  Please encourage your older Scouts to email Laura Jackson at laura.jackson@afac.org if they’d like to earn service hours by helping at any of these events.

Packing Emergency Food Kits

Emergency Food Kits are given to clients with immediate food needs by the Arlington Department of Human Services.  These kits contain non-perishable food to supply the needs of two people for two days.  Troops can purchase the food for the kits and pack them off-site.  AFAC will provide the shopping list and cardboard boxes.  Then AFAC will store the boxes and deliver them to the County as needed.  Contact Puwen Lee at puwen.lee@afac.org if your troop would like to pack EFKs.

Neighborhood & Grocery Store Food Drives

Over 60% of the food AFAC distributes is donated.  Troops and individuals can organize neighborhood food drives.  More information, including customizable flyers, can be found on our website’s food drive page - http://www.afacinfo.org/Fooddrivemainpage.htm.  Troops can also organize a food drive at a local grocery store, staffing a table with collection bins in front of a store.  Please contact Magda Jaskot, AFAC’s food drive coordinator, for more information on food drives – magda.jaskot@afac.org.

Eagle Scout & Journey Projects

Senior Scouts can help fulfill merit badge and silver and gold award requirements by designing and implementing special projects for AFAC.  In past years, scouts have helped organize and recruit gleaning teams to pick vegetables for clients; helped build raised beds for an Arlington school beginning a garden for AFAC’s Plot Against Hunger project that encourages local gardeners to grow vegetables for neighbors in need; and conducted a series of individual food drives.  The possibilities are endless!  Contact Puwen Lee at puwen.lee@afac.org if you are interested in undertaking a project for AFAC.

Please contact Puwen Lee or Laura Jackson
in the Volunteer Department at AFAC (volunteer4afac@afac.org or 703-845-8486)
for more information about any of these opportunities.