Girl Scouts, Girl Scout volunteers, community members, and businesses are encouraged to participate in the 2009 Helping Hands Food Drive to feed hungry children, women, and men of southeastern Virginia and northeastern North Carolina. With everyone giving a “hand,” we can make a difference!

Girl Scouts will be out in their communities on Saturday, October 24, to collect food donations between 9 a.m. and noon. Door hanger alerts promoting the food drive, will be placed in neighborhoods one week prior to the food drive.

The public is asked to fill bags with food donations and place them on their door steps by 9 a.m. on October 24. Food items, such as canned fruits and vegetables, peanut butter, cereal, rice, pasta, tuna, soup, and beans are suggested. If a home is missed by the girls that morning, community members may bring their food donation throughout the month of October to any Farm Fresh store in southeastern Virginia or in Elizabeth City, or to any RBC Bank in northeastern North Carolina.

The food collected will be distributed to families and individuals in need by the area's three food banks: Foodbank of the Virginia Peninsula, Foodbank of Southeastern Virginia and Foodbank of the Albemarle.

Each girl who participates will receive a free 2009 Helping Hands Food Drive patch, compliments of Verizon. Girl Scout troops or individuals who average the most poundage of food per girl, will receive a free ice cream party from Farm Fresh and be spotlighted on WAVY-TV 10’s website.

Business and community groups,who wish to support this effort may contact Marcy Germanotta, the Council’s communication director, at marcyg@gsccc.org 

Plan to be part of this Council-wide community service project.