MONTVALE—Pascack Hills High School senior Lauren Moss is working on a Girl Scout Gold Award project that will benefit the many patrons of Tri-Boro Food Pantry.
Moss, of Troop 95181, has been a Girl Scout for 13 years, joining the Montvale troop while she was in kindergarten. The Gold Award is the most prestigious award in Girl Scouting, earned by approximately 5% of eligible Girl Scouts nationwide.
Interested in helping with food insecurity in the community, Moss approached the pantry with the idea of helping bring in fresh food to those in need.
However, after meeting with pantry director Janelle Larghi—who also agreed to serve as Moss’ counselor for the project—the scout identified the greater community need is awareness surrounding the food pantry and increasing community involvement in both food and monetary donations.
Moss produced a reusable tote bag that can be purchased for $4. The tote lists the food donation drop-off locations in the boroughs of Montvale, Park Ridge, and Woodcliff Lake, and provides a list of the most-needed food pantry items.
The bag urges, “Keep our neighbors from going hungry.” Moss plans to sell these bags at local shops and food stores, as well as having booths at town events. She will also present her project to younger Girl Scouts in town, in hopes to continue the sustainability of this project.
Tri-Boro Food Pantry (triborofoodpantry.org), based in Park Ridge, says online, “We are known throughout the Pascack Valley as a place where hungry people are fed. From soup to cereal, eggs to milk, diapers to dish soap, this food pantry is committed to helping people live. But hunger isn’t something that only happens in other places. Over 90% of the families who come to the Tri-Boro food pantry are from the Tri-Boro area.”
For purchases, write Moss at goldawardtrioboro@gmail.com. To make a monetary donation to the Tri-Boro Food Pantry and to learn more about this critical community resource, visit triborofoodpantry.org.