(UPDATE: 4:00 p.m. - 4/17/2023)
HELENA — Per Helena Food Share communications director Patty White, the 'Scouting for Food Drive' raised and donated 4,223 pounds of food to Helena Food Share.
(ORIGINAL STORY: 1:55 p.m. - 4/15/2023)
HELENA — On Saturday in neighborhoods across Helena and East Helena, Scouts BSA packs and troops wrapped up their annual 'Scouting for Food' drive with a donation to Helena Food Share.
“A week ago, we went around and put plastic bags on everyone's houses and so this week we asked them to put food in them for like that we could donate," said Mathias Johnson. "This week, we're walking around and picking all the bags up from the ones we put and donating them.”
Around 1,700 bags were dropped off by two Cub Scout Packs and six Scouts BSA Troops between the two cities, and since 2013 the event has raised nearly 19,000 pounds of food for the nonprofit.
One of the Scout troops dropped off bags just south of the Capitol building and began collecting shortly after 10 a.m. and hopes they can put a substantial dent in the event's 2,500-pound goal.
"Around like 800 pounds," said Caleb Walling when asked for an estimate on how much he and his troop hoped to pick up Saturday morning.
The official donation total for the event is not known just yet, but this story will be updated with that information as it becomes available.
