GOOD TURN FOR AMERICA

Getting youth involved in direct community service is important. Good Turn for America is designed to help our communities with more Scouting service, to redouble our effort to instill the value of service in our youth, and to increase awareness of the Scouting program within our neighborhoods as we focus on three areas of common concern: relief from hunger, lack of housing, and a decline in fitness and health in America. In this effort, the Boy Scouts of America is working with some of the nation's most respected service organizations, including The Salvation Army, Habitat for Humanity, and the American Red Cross. These organizations and thousands of others will work to provide opportunities for youth and volunteers to fight hunger and homelessness, and teach the habits of healthy living. Youth and volunteers are looking for ways to serve their communities. At the same time, service organizations need dedicated volunteer help. By working together, we can improve our young people, our communities, and the nation.

The Boy Scouts of America challenges every unit to commit to furthering their efforts in providing service to their community, and education in the value of service to their youth.  Units are also encouraged to organize their own local service projects in the areas of food, shelter, or healthy living.   These unit-level projects will often be in service of local agencies in your community, or may be in service of your chartering organization.  Whatever the project, getting youth involved in direct community service is important. It will benefit the lives of them and their neighbors. Also, your youth will qualify for the Good Turn for America patch and segments available at the Blue Ridge Council's Scout Shop.  Be sure to visit the new service initiative website at www.goodturnforamerica.org.  You’ll be able to post information about your local unit projects, your members’ service hours for council and unit projects, and gain information about the Good Turn for America initiative.

The information you provide the national website will become valuable as the national organization announces our service hours as a nation-wide body, and reports to the nation the impressive impact Scouting can have on common issues in our society. Our local council will also access the data you post at the Good Turn for America website for use in preparing local stories for television, radio, and newsprint media. The details you provide the national website will be very valuable to vital efforts to share the Scouting story with our communities.  You are invited to adopt a year-round plan of service in your unit. Join the Good Turn for America initiative with its impressive potential for positive impact to the nation.  Getting youth involved in direct community service is important. The project is designed to run through 2010, the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Boy Scouts of America, and the year of our next national Jamboree.

How is this different from Scouting for Food?

Scouting for Food is a once-a-year effort focusing on one area of need. Good Turn for America is a year-round initiative that addresses hunger, inadequate housing, and health issues in our communities. Good Turn for America may include any of a broad array of activities on a council, district, or unit level.

Are we required to work with national organizations such as The Salvation Army to participate?

No. Local Boy Scouts of America service centers and their affiliates are free to work with any organization they choose.

You can record information about service projects and service hours completed by your units on the Web site, www.goodturnforamerica.org. Each unit has been issued a unique login name and password that will allow you to enter information about your service projects.

How will the results be communicated?

The Boy Scouts of America will report the total number of service hours and projects to the nation each year during Scouting anniversary month. The Blue Ridge Council will then report on total number of service hours and projects on the council's web site.

Are there recognition items?

Yes! Any unit that participates by recording service hours and projects on the Good Turn for America web site will receive a ribbon for the unit flagpole (ask your District Executive).  Units also have the option of purchasing Good Turn for America patches and yearly segments for their members through the Blue Ridge Council's Scout Shop.