Scouts Collect 120 Tons of Food in Rhode Island
The statewide Scouting for Food Drive gathered food, money, and time as food pantry demand continues to rise.
Updated on Nov. 8, 2026 in Philanthropy
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Scouts across Rhode Island and southeastern Massachusetts collected 120 tons of food in 2025 through the Scouting for Food Drive, put on by Scouting America. The drive has operated for 39 years and has collected more than ten million pounds of food for the Rhode Island Community Food Bank.
Why it matters
Rhode Island Community Food Bank member agencies serve over 89,000 Rhode Islanders monthly, and demand has risen as the costs of rent, prescription drugs, heat, and gas climb. The drive helps meet that growing need across the state.
The drive collected 120 tons of food in 2025, and it has gathered over ten million pounds for the Rhode Island Community Food Bank across 39 years. The source does not say how the 2025 total compares with earlier years' collections.
The players
Scouting America
Scouting America is the youth-serving organization that runs the Scouting for Food Drive across Rhode Island and southeastern Massachusetts.
Rhode Island Community Food Bank
The Rhode Island Community Food Bank is the state's largest hunger-relief organization, supplying a network of member agencies that serve residents monthly.
The details
Scouts throughout Rhode Island and southeastern Massachusetts collected donations on a Saturday, accepting food, money, and time. The statewide drive is run by Scouting America and feeds the Rhode Island Community Food Bank's network of member agencies.
Timeline
Saturday: Scouts collected donations for the drive.
2025: The drive collected 120 tons of food.
Monthly: Member agencies serve over 89,000 Rhode Islanders.
Philanthropy Context
The 39-year history of the Scouting for Food Drive shows a long-running, volunteer-driven model that feeds the Rhode Island Community Food Bank's member agencies. Those agencies now face rising demand as household costs climb.
Residents can donate food, money, or time to local food pantries to help meet rising demand. Rising costs for rent, prescription drugs, heat, and gas are increasing how many households rely on food assistance.
The takeaway
Food drives like this one rely on volunteers and community donations to keep pantries stocked. Giving food, money, or time directly supports the network of agencies serving tens of thousands of residents each month.
Further reading
Explore more Rhode Island philanthropy coverage to see how local giving efforts are meeting growing need.
Source note: This article includes information reported by WPRI.
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