By Linda Dillman
Staff Writer
Canal Winchester’s 14th annual Scouting for Food Drive fell victim to the coronavirus pandemic, but organizers are fighting back in support of Canal Winchester Human Services with a week-long Community Week fundraiser.
From April 18 through April 26, Boy Scout Troop 103 Scoutmaster Doug Snyder and fellow scout leaders are leading and managing the campaign on behalf of Human Services and hope to raise $25,000.
“We are eager to launch Community Week, which will ultimately, in turn, help our neighbors in need of assistance during this stressful time,” said Snyder.
He said the decision to cancel the food drive—which yielded 4,799 items and more than $200 in donations in 2019—was made on March 14 during a joint conference call with Human Services.
“We determined that it was not safe to do a door-to-door style canvas of homes due to the COVID-19 precautions,” said Snyder. “Scouting for food was created 14 years ago as a bookend campaign for the Football for Food program. At that time, these were the only two food drives done.”
In the conversation with Canal Winchester Human Services Director Aletha Mullins, the leaders of Troop 103 and Cub Scout Pack 103 asked her what the most pressing need was facing human services right now.
“After some conversation, we arrived at an understanding that they will likely see a large increase in their emergency relief fund, which is used to pay for items such as utility payments, prescriptions, etc.,” said Snyder, who chaired a Community Week event two years ago with the goal of paying off the food pantry mortgage.
Mullins said monetary donations for Community Week will fund the immediate needs of Human Services’ programs, which include the community food pantry and emergency assistance program.
The pantry experienced an increase in clients this month and Mullins anticipates
resident requests for the emergency assistance program to rise in the coming weeks.
“Community Week will allow us to help more people and it will allow us to broaden some our services,” Mullins said. “It will also help us continue to keep food available here at the pantry.”
To participate in Community Week, visit cwhumanservices.org and click on the
Donate Now button. Checks can be sent by mail (write Community Week in the memo) to Canal Winchester Human Services, 80 Covenant Way, Canal Winchester, OH 43110.
