Submitted by Imogene Jones
Each month staff and volunteers at The Neighborhood Center of South Lake distribute over 130,000 pounds of food to clients who come into the center in Groveland. In September 2025 alone, 254 families representing 1,211 individuals received food assistance.
These statistics are not unique just to The Neighborhood Center. Other food pantries and centers throughout our cities, counties and state are seeing increasing numbers of families needing assistance. Food insecurity occurs when families are unable to afford food in sufficient quantity for all family members. Receiving assistance for food helps families distribute their finances to other needs like housing, utilities, etc. Workers at the pantries are constantly looking for ways to fill their shelves and support their clients.
This coming November, the local Central Florida Council of Scouting America is once again be participating in the national Scouting for Food Campaign to help fill the pantry shelves with food. The Scouting for Food program was started in 1985 by the local St Louis, MO scouting council and was adopted by the national Scouting program in the United States in 1989. Local units participate by dropping off collection bags one week and returning the next week to pick up the bags filled with food donations. Members of the Lake County area scouting units will be out in neighborhoods dropping off bags on Nov 1 and returning for collection on Nov 8. The success of this year’s food collection will be especially important given the increased need for local food pantries.
If you do not receive a bag or your bag is not picked up, contributions can be dropped off at The Neighborhood Center in Groveland or any food pantry in your area.
For more information on the Scouting for Food Campaign or Scouting America, contact the Central Florida Council office at 407-889-4403.
