Life Scout Austin Drake of JPL Troop 509 has distributed plastic bags to Upper Briggs Terrace homes asking for donations of canned and non-perishable food items to benefit Union Rescue Mission (URM).  A partial requirement for a Life Scout in attaining the Eagle Scout rank is to plan, develop, and give leadership to others in a service project helpful to any religious institution, any school, or the scout’s community.  Austin chose to work with URM because of his family’s personal relationship to URM’s CEO, Reverend Andy Bales.

URM has seen an influx of homeless families since the beginning of the year due to the flood of homes to foreclosure.  URM provides nine meals a day to Los Angeles’s downtown skid row area and they are constantly in need of food.  In addition to the meals, they hand out non-perishable food items to families on the streets.

Austin will be collecting food outside the entrances of both the La Crescenta Ralphs store at 2675 Foothill Blvd, and the La Crescenta Vons store at 3233 Foothill Blvd, on Saturday, May 8 from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m.  The public is encouraged to donate food, especially protein items such as canned beans, meat, spam, and fish, by visiting the stores on May 8.  For more information or to arrange for a food pick-up, call (818) 249-2227.  Bag distribution day, April 24 for Troop 509 Scouts.