Area Cub Scouts, Boy Scouts and their leaders collected more than 14,600 pounds of food during the recent Scouting for Food drive.
Scouts in Jefferson City manned entrances at local stores and collected 10,000 pounds of food, which was delivered to the Samaritan Center.
Units in Linn, Russellville, Holts Summit and California collected an estimated 4,699 pounds in donations, the majority of which went to food pantries in those communities.
"I have been really pleased with the feedback from the stores," Scouting for Food Chairman John Young said in a news release. "I have heard nothing but good things about how the scouts conducted themselves at the stores. I am thankful for and amazed at the generosity of the people of Jefferson City and the surrounding communities. They made the food drive successful."
Scouting for Food organizers changed the majority of the donation collection process this year. Instead of hanging informational tags on local residences and then picking up donations the following week, Scouts took positions at grocery stores and handed out flyers with pantry needs as customers entered the businesses. Volunteers then gathered donations as patrons left the stores. Some units in smaller communities employed the old collection method.