The Boy Scouts Northeast Iowa Council has a long and successful history that spans 100 years. In that time, they have been engaged in the character and leadership building of boys and young men in the community, which is their overall mission. One of the very successful and well-known initiatives the Boy Scouts coordinate in the local community is the Scouting for Food program conducted every March. 

  Scouting for Food engages the scouts in going door-to-door hanging informational cards and then gathering of food for local food pantries. The United Way of Dubuque Area Tri-States is proud to help fund this program and provide funds to increase the awareness of Scouting for Food through advertising and marketing. This partnership allows the program to operate at a larger scale and allows the scouts to directly impact the physical health of our community.

  One local food pantry receives 25% of their yearly paper goods and canned goods just from this one-day program! Scouting for Food impacts our community through the food it provides to those in need, but it also gives scouts the chance to see the impact people can make when they join together for the common good.

  On January 16th United Way's Volunteer Center helped engage local college students in service opportunities in Dubuque. Over 80 students were involved with making blankets for homeless individuals in the Tri-State area. The blankets the students created were distributed by volunteers involved with the Point in Time Homeless Count that took place on January 26th in the Dubuque community as well as other programs in Grant and Dubuque counties. 

  The Point In Time Homeless Count recorded 256 individuals through inquiries and the street count. Included in the count are 73 households that contain children under the age of 18. Compared with data from last year there is an increase in homelessness in our community. 

  We look forward to updating you in the future months on our work in the area of homelessness.