Girl Scouts are starting a big food drive. Girls Scouts of Central and Western Massachusetts launched the event. This drive helps many local families. It runs from April 27th to May 11th.
The goal is huge this year. They want to collect 50,000 items. These items include food and personal care goods. This helps people who need extra support.
The drive covers many places. It reaches 186 cities and towns. This is a very large area. All donations stay in local communities.
Girls Scouts want your help. You can make a difference. The food drive is called “Girl Scout Fighting Hunger Food Drive.”
How to Help Your Local Girl Scouts
It is easy to help the Girl Scouts. They have a special plan for food collection. Look for a bag at your home.
Girls Scouts will drop off bags. They will come to homes on April 27th. You can fill these bags with food.
The girls will return later. They will pick up the full bags. This pickup happens on May 4th.
What if you miss the pickup? You can still donate. There are other drop-off spots.
You can bring items to Girl Scout offices. One office is in Holyoke. Another office is in Worcester.
Many Dunkin’ shops are also helping. They are collecting donations. Find a list of these helpful locations below.
Here are some of the items you can donate:
- Canned goods like soup or vegetables
- Boxed pasta or rice
- Peanut butter or jelly
- Cereal and oatmeal
- Personal care items like soap or toothpaste
Do you want to know more about what to give? You can check their website. It has a full list of needed items. The address is gscwm.org/fooddrive.
Dunkin’ Drop-Off Spots
These Dunkin’ locations are taking donations. Find one near you:
Western Massachusetts:
- Agawam
- East Longmeadow
- Feeding Hills
- Hampden
- Longmeadow
- Ludlow
- Monson
- Palmer
- Springfield
- West Springfield
- Westfield
- Wilbraham
Central Massachusetts:
- Auburn
- Charlton
- Grafton
- Holden
- Leicester
- Millbury
- Oxford
- Spencer
- Sutton
- Webster
- West Boylston
- Worcester
The last day for drop-offs is May 11th. Make sure to donate before then.
Earn a Special Patch!
Girl Scouts love to help their communities. This drive offers a special reward. Girls can earn a unique patch.
The patch says “Fighting Hunger.” It shows they made a difference. How do they get this cool patch?
They must collect at least 50 items. That is 50 cans of food or personal care goods. It takes teamwork and effort.
This challenge teaches girls many things. They learn about giving back. They see how important it is to help others.
Patricia A. Hallberg is the CEO. She leads the Girl Scouts of Central and Western Massachusetts. She spoke about the drive.
She said, “This food drive helps so many people.” She added, “It also teaches girls important lessons.”
Ms. Hallberg shared more thoughts. “Girls learn about giving back,” she said. “They see the need in their own towns.”
A parent named Jennifer W. also shared her feelings. She said, “My daughter loves helping.” She feels very proud. “She feels proud to make a difference,” Jennifer added.
Why This Food Drive Matters
Many families need help with food. This problem is called food insecurity. It means people do not always have enough food.
It is a big issue in Massachusetts. About 1 in 10 households face food insecurity. This means over 1 million people struggle to find food.
Food pantries give food to these families. The Girl Scouts’ drive supports these pantries. It makes sure they have enough supplies.
Baystate Health is a major helper. They are a big sponsor. They help spread the word. This makes the drive even bigger.
The Girl Scouts set a big goal this year. They want to collect 50,000 items. This is a lot more than last year.
How well did they do before? Last year, the drive collected over 30,000 items. That was a great job too!
This year, they want to do even better. Every item helps a family. Your donation truly matters.
Here is a quick look at their goals:
| Year | Items Collected |
|---|---|
| Last Year | Over 30,000 |
| This Year’s Goal | 50,000 |
The Girl Scouts have many different groups. Daisies, Brownies, and Juniors are younger girls. Cadettes, Seniors, and Ambassadors are older girls. All of them work together for this important cause.
The drive ends on May 11th. Do you have any extra food or care items? Please think about donating them. You can help Girl Scouts reach their goal. You will also help hungry families in your town.
Learn more about how food drives help communities. Visit Feeding America’s website. It shows how food pantries work.
