Food drives, other programs in valley gearing up for holidays

Las Vegas businesses are gearing up for the holidays with food drives and programs to help low-income families and the homeless.

Southern Nevada Boy Scouts, Cub Scouts and Venturers with a hand from Smith's supermarkets hope to collect 165,000 pounds of nonperishable food items this week in the annual Scouting for Food drive.

Today the county's scouts are delivering 340,000 specially printed grocery bags door-to-door to Las Vegas Valley, Mesquite and Pahrump residents. The scouts will retrieve the bags on Saturday after residents have filled them with canned and nonperishable goods.

This is the 12th annual scout food drive. Other sponsors include the United Way of Southern Nevada, Lockheed Martin, Walters Golf and the Salvation Army.

The White Tiger Karate Studio, 4255 E. Charleston Blvd., is also starting to collect food for the homeless. People wishing to donate food can drop off nonperishable items through Dec. 17. at the karate studio. All donated food will be given to the Salvation Army on Dec. 18.

Walker Furniture stores is starting its annual Home for the Holidays program.

The program, in its sixth year, will provide new furniture for 20 families this year, up from the 12 families aided last year.

Walker Furniture is asking the public to submit letters on behalf of people in need. Letters can be mailed to Walker Furniture, 301 S. Martin Luther King Blvd., Las Vegas, Nevada 89106.

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