A knock on the door this weekend and next may be a chance to help someone in need when more than 200 Cub Scouts, Boy Scouts and church youth walk door-to-door to collect nonperishable food.

The annual Scouting for Food event will send 16 troops dressed in uniform to as many Tracy households as possible to stock the pantry at Tracy Interfaith Ministries. Each troop is assigned to a different neighborhood to ask for cans and boxes of food that are in good condition.

Tracy Boy Scouts have held Scouting for Food for more than 30 years, Troop 555 Scoutmaster Chris Trapp said. They collect from 20,000 to 30,000 tons of food each year.

“Everybody has empathy for those who are down on their luck a little bit, and this is a good way to spend a couple of dollars and help out,” he added. “It’s not much money, but I guess it’s something you can’t put a price on.”

Boy Scout district activities chairwoman Carole Merrill has gathered food with troops for the last three years.

“I’ve seen everything pretty much from ‘no thanks’ to families that give so much we can’t carry all the food.”

The event was stretched into two weekends, and several church groups joined the troops four years ago to meet the needs of Tracy’s growing population.

Scouting for Food is part of the troops’ National Good Turn Day — a day to give and expect nothing in return.

Nathan Trapp, 13, said he enjoyed last year’s drive when he walked door to door with Troop 555.

“We give it to the people that don’t have anything,” Nathan said. “That way they have stuff to eat over the winter.”