On Saturday October 12, a one-day food drive will take place at all Jack’s Fresh Market locations in the Marinette and Menominee area between 9 am and 5 pm. This food drive is a unique partnership between area Scouts, Jack’s Fresh Market, and the St Vincent de Paul food pantries in Marinette and Menominee.
In the past, the “Scouting for Food” drive was held each fall using the traditional bags-on-doorknobs format. This fall, the Boy Scouts of America decided not to have a food drive, possibly transitioning to a drive in the spring. This leaves local food pantries without a key source of food to support families through the Thanksgiving to Christmas season.
Local Scout Pack 4168 and 4071, Troops 1017 and 6017, and Venture Troop 9079 have stepped forward and agreed to help with the food drive at the Jack’s Fresh Market stores to replace the door-to-door drive.
Here is how it will work. Shoppers at Jack’s Fresh Market on October 12th will receive a short list of items most needed at the food pantries, such as peanut butter, soups, and cereal. Shoppers will be given “Scouting for Food” bags and asked to shop for some of these food items. After checking out, the “Scouting for Food” bags can be placed in waiting carts. Volunteers will then transport the bags to the local food pantries.
According to St. Vincent de Paul executive director Kalyani Grasso, in the past twelve months, the St Vincent de Paul food pantry in Marinette and the St. Vincent de Paul Resurrection Conference food pantry in Menominee have met the needs of over 10,400 food pantry visits. Almost 50 percent of area residents make less than the basic cost of living according to a 2018 United Way Wisconsin report.
Says Kathleen Ziminski of Jack’s Fresh Market, “The need is real. Your donations will make sure two of the largest area food pantries have fully stocked shelves through the winter months.”
