THOMASVILLE — The third annual “Scouting for Food Drive” is scheduled to take place Saturday through Feb. 6.

This year’s event will include last year’s top collecting Scout group, Cub Scout Pack and Troop 319 from Ochlocknee, sponsored by the Ochlocknee American Legion Post 265.

Also participating will be Cub Scout Pack 316 and Boy Scout Troop 306, sponsored by the First United Methodist Church; Cub Scout Pack 329 and their new Troop 302, sponsored by the Dawson Street Baptist Church; and, Girl Scout Troop 40483.

“These scouts are on a mission to collect food for the less fortunate in our community,” Jonathan Rieber, Troop 306 Scout Dad and leader, said in an event news release. “The food we collect will be given to the Thomas County Food Bank and Outreach Center in Thomasville.”

In Georgia, one in five elderly people lives below the poverty level and one in four children lives below the poverty level and suffers from hunger each month, according to the release.

“Our community, unfortunately, is no different,” Rieber said. “Changes in our local and national economy have caused unemployment rates to rise.

“This rise has caused more and more people to require help from food banks all across our state and country. Our Thomas County Food Bank has seen their client numbers rise by 30 percent in the last year.”

On the first Saturday, the scouts, their leaders and parents will go to listed neighborhoods in Thomasville and Thomas County to distribute food donation bags, along with an explanation note to the households.

“These bags are hung on the front doors of the homes,” Rieber explained. “The note that goes with each bag explains who we are, why we are asking for the food donation, where will the donation go, what types of food we are looking for and when we will be back to pick up the bags.”

The groups return on the second Saturday at a designated time to pick up the bags and leave thank you notes. Then, they will take the bags to the local food bank.

Cub Scout Pack and Troop 319 have three neighborhoods. Last year, it collected 2,160 pounds of food.

Donations from residents not in a covered area may be brought to their Scout House across from the town park by the morning of Feb. 6.

Its neighborhoods are Lake Riverside and the Hunters Chase areas, as well as downtown Ochlocknee, west of Main and north of Church streets.

Cub Scout Pack 316 and Troop 306 will be doing six neighborhoods.

These areas produced 2,121 pounds of food last year.

Gordon Avenue/Millpond area earned “most generous neighborhood,” averaging 3.84 pounds per household.

Other neighborhoods covered by this group are: Clay Street over to Washington Street, between Myrtle and Briarcliff and includes Springdale; Pine Summit subdivision; Tuxedo Drive up to Wimbleton and over to Monticello Road, including Prestwick and Turnberry; Gordon Avenue and Millpond triangle to Pinetree including Polo Grounds; A Place in the Woods subdivision; and, Polana subdivision.

Cub Scout Pack 329 will have four neighborhoods. These neighborhoods produced 697 pounds of food during last year’s drive.

They are Puzzle Lake subdivision, Northwoods subdivision, Heards Pond subdivision, and Holly Springs subdivision.

Girl Scout Troops 40483 will have one neighborhood: Ivy Hill subdivision.

“The scouts have targeted more than 1,200 homes and hope residents will be generous during this food drive,” Rieber said.

Families not from one of the target neighborhoods who want to contribute are encouraged to take donations to the food bank on Saturday, Feb. 6, between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.

Items desired by the food bank include: bags of rice, macaroni and cheese, canned tomatoes, canned corn, canned green beans, other canned vegetables, canned fruit, canned meats, canned soups, canned tuna or salmon, dried beans and peas, dried soups, flour, sugar, bar soap, saltine crackers, loaves of bread, spaghetti sauce, pasta, baby foods and formula, ramen noodles, peanut butter, jelly or jams, grits or oatmeal, box of cereal, pancake mix and syrup, cornmeal, soap or detergent, baby diapers, and rolls of toilet tissue.