October 5, 2026, Washington, DC – For 40 years, Scouts across the Washington, D.C. metropolitan region have come together with a shared mission: helping neighbors in need. This milestone year, Scouting America National Capital Area Council (NCAC) will celebrate the 40th Anniversary of Scouting for Food, one of the region’s largest and longest-running community food drives, while joining Scouts from across the nation in a historic Scouting America Day of Service as part of the America250 celebration.
On Saturday, November 14, 2026, thousands of Scouts, leaders, parents, and volunteers will fan out across neighborhoods in the District of Columbia, Maryland, and Virginia to collect non-perishable food donations for over 75 local food banks, pantries, and community organizations serving families facing food insecurity. See the map of collection locations: https://ncacscouting.org/scouting-for-food/.
This year’s effort is part of Scouting America’s National Day of Service, as Scouts across the United States unite in communities large and small to commemorate our nation’s 250th anniversary through meaningful acts of service that strengthen neighborhoods and demonstrate the power of civic engagement.
“For four decades, Scouting for Food has shown what can happen when young people lead with compassion and purpose,” said Mario A. Pérez, CEO/Scout Executive of the National Capital Area Council. “As our nation celebrates America250, Scouts are demonstrating that service remains one of our country’s most enduring values. Thousands of young people will spend this day helping others, proving that even the smallest acts of kindness can create a lasting impact.”
The weekend before the collection, Scouts will distribute door hangers throughout neighborhoods across the region. Residents who receive the notice are encouraged to place non-perishable food donations outside their homes by the morning of November 14 for collection by local Scout units.
The annual campaign comes at a critical time as many families continue to struggle with rising food costs and increased demand on charitable food assistance programs. Donations collected through Scouting for Food help stock pantry shelves ahead of the busy holiday season when community needs are often greatest.
Last year, Scouts collected more than 753,000 pounds of food, benefiting local food banks and hunger-relief organizations throughout the Council’s service area. Our Scouts hope the 40th anniversary campaign will inspire even greater participation from communities across the region to reach a 1-million pound goal.
A Story of Service, Youth Leadership, and Community Impact
Scouting for Food offers reporters and photographers compelling visual and human-interest storytelling opportunities, including:
- Thousands of youth volunteers participating in one of the region’s largest community service projects.
- The 40th Anniversary of a program that has mobilized generations of Scouts and families.
- Local food donations being delivered directly to over 75 organizations serving families in need.
- Scouts participating in Scouting America’s National Day of Service as part of the America250 celebration.
- Interviews with youth leaders, community volunteers, nonprofit partners, and elected officials.
- Powerful visuals of food collection, sorting, loading, and distribution efforts throughout the region.
Most-Needed Food Items
- Canned proteins (tuna, chicken, salmon)
- Peanut butter
- Pasta, rice, and other grains
- Whole-grain cereal and oatmeal
- Canned vegetables and fruits
About Scouting America and the National Capital Area Council
Scouting America provides the nation’s foremost youth program of character development and values-based leadership training, which helps young people be “Prepared. For Life.®” Scouting America welcomes all of America’s youth into its programs. Our goal is to give them fantastic experiences in the outdoors, and elsewhere, where they can grow with us in a safe environment. More than 130 million Americans have been through our programs since our founding, and currently more than one million youth are served by 477,000 adult volunteers in local councils throughout the country. To learn more about Scouting America’s mission, or to sign your child up for Scouting, visit https://beascout.scouting.org/
Scouting America National Capital Area Council (NCAC) was organized in 1911 and today stands as one of the oldest and largest councils in America. Scouts from the NCAC do over 400,000 hours of community service each year. The Council territory includes the District of Columbia; Frederick, Montgomery, Prince George’s, Calvert, Charles, and St. Mary’s counties in Maryland; and in Virginia the counties of Arlington, Fairfax, Prince William, Loudoun, Fauquier, Spotsylvania, Caroline, King George, Stafford and Culpeper as well as the independent cities of Alexandria, Falls Church, Fairfax, Manassas, Manassas Park and Fredericksburg in Virginia. For more information, please visit www.ncacscouting.org/
