FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                                                             NEWS RELEASE

CONTACT: Bob De Witt, Boy Scouts (412) 325-7992
                    Iris Valanti, Food Bank (412) 460-3663 x208

HUNGER IS NO JOKE—APRIL 1ST KICKS OFF ANNUAL SCOUTING FOR FOOD DRIVE

(March 30, 2005 –Pittsburgh, PA) More than 8,000 Boy Scouts will fan out across southwestern Pennsylvania during the month of April to do a Good Turn for America—leading the Boy Scouts of America-Greater Pittsburgh Council in their 19th annual Scouting for Food drive. This year’s focus is on increasing the nutritional value of food donated to the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank.

Scouting for Food month kicks off Friday, April 1, 7:30 - 9am at Fifth Avenue Place lobby, 120 Fifth Avenue, downtown. Pittsburgh Steeler Chris Hoke will be joined by local Boy Scouts handing out bags and brochures. The Scouts will be collecting food in neighborhoods, churches and businesses, with the goal of topping last year’s total of $2.6 million worth of food.

The problem of hunger is growing in the Pittsburgh region. A new survey by the Student Campaign Against Hunger and Homelessness found 78 percent of local food assistance agencies reporting an increased demand. Of the 120,000 people the Food Bank serves every month, 37,000 are children under 18 and 16,000 are seniors.

New for 2005

A partnership with the Boy Scouts, Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield and the Food Bank features two improvements. The first is a new list of most-needed items that reflects the Food Bank’s goal to improve the nutritional value of donations. High protein food like tuna fish, canned beans and peanut butter now lead the list, along with low-sugar cereal, 100% juice drinks and canned fruit. Non-grocery items are also vital, such as toilet paper, soap and toothpaste, allowing a needy family to spend more of their household budget on food.

The second addition is a Virtual Food Drive. Instead of giving actual goods, donors may opt to visit the Food Bank’s web site, www.pittsburghfoodbank.org and contribute online via a secure link. Just click on the high-value items you would like to give, drop them in the online shopping cart and use your credit card at the checkout. Several corporations will be piloting the online program, including Highmark, UPMC, Giant Eagle, ALCOA and the Pittsburgh Pirates.

“It’s important to ensure proper nutrition for families in need,” said Scouting for Food general chairman John Goetz of the Pittsburgh office of Jones Day. “By teaming up with the Food Bank and Highmark, we hope to encourage the community to make healthy food choices, through donations to those in need and in their own lives. We also greatly appreciate the enthusiastic support from local corporations and volunteers.”

"Proper nutrition and good health go hand-in-hand," said Rhonda Johnson, M.D., Highmark medical director. "No matter what their income, all families should have access to healthy food choices so that the family can grow in good health together."

This year, Scouting for Food also gets a boost from “Opening Day” at PNC Park. The Pittsburgh Pirates have invited the Boy Scouts to collect food donations at their Home Opener on Mon., April 4, 1:35 pm when the Pirates take on the Milwaukee Brewers. To promote the day, the Pirates are offering a discount coupon to anyone bringing non-perishable items to the game. The coupon allows the purchase of up to four (4) half-price tickets, in selected seating areas, to the next Pirates home game on Wed., April 6 vs. the Brewers at 12:35 pm.

The local drive is part of the nationwide Good Turn for America initiative, which mobilizes an entire country to take a stand against hunger, homelessness and poor health to make a real difference in the lives of our neighbors. Through Scouting for Food, every can and every click joins thousands of other donors, adding up to nearly 1 million pounds of food collected annually across the United States.

For more information, contact Jennifer Kostelnik at the Boy Scouts of America – Greater Pittsburgh Council at (412) 325-7926. To participate in the virtual food drive, visit www.pittsburghfoodbank.org.

Boy Scouts of America, Greater Pittsburgh Council serves more than 48,000 youth each year across southwestern Pennsylvania, including Allegheny, Beaver, Greene, Washington and parts of Westmoreland and Fayette counties. The Council’s mission is to help instill values in young people by building the cornerstone of their character in ethics, morality and commitment, while preparing them for life’s challenges.

Good Turn for America is an initiative designed to increase collaborations between the millions of BSA members and participants and other organizations to better meet community needs. Nationally, the Boy Scouts of America, The Salvation Army, Habitat for Humanity, and the American Red Cross are asking every American to help address the food, shelter, and health needs of their community. Through the combined efforts of these and other groups that provide similar service in communities around the country, families will have sufficient food to eat, homelessness can be reduced, and we will reduce the growing number of obese individuals. Log onto www.goodturnforamerica.org to learn how to make a difference in the lives of others.

Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank collects, stores, and distributes approximately 16 million pounds of food and grocery products per year to 350 member agencies in southwestern Pennsylvania. Food pantries, soup kitchens, day care centers, personal-care homes, homeless and women's shelters, drug rehabilitation centers, after-school programs, and others serve over 120,000 people per month, of whom 37,000 are children. Every $1 donated provides $5 worth of goods and services. Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank is a member of America's Second Harvest - the Nation's Food Bank Network. www.pittsburghfoodbank.org.