Courtesy of the Girl Scouts of California’s Central Coast:
Girl Scouts of California’s Central Coast on Wednesday launched the 2019 Girl Scout Cookie season, celebrating the largest financial investment in girls annually in the United States and a powerful entrepreneurship incubator for the next generation of female leaders. At a time when girls’ needs and issues collect fewer than eight cents of every dollar granted by philanthropic foundations in the country, each and every Girl Scout Cookie purchase is key to supporting the change-makers of today and tomorrow.
Research shows that female-founded start-ups generate more revenue over time and per dollar than male-founded start-ups, but only 17 percent of start-ups are female-founded. Given that over half (53 percent) of female entrepreneurs and business owners are Girl Scout alums, supporting Girl Scouts as they make sales and learn essential business skills is imperative to ensuring our country has a strong workforce and economy.
Through the Girl Scout Cookie Program®, girls not only discover their inner leadership potential but also use their earnings to power amazing experiences for themselves and their troop, including travel, outdoor adventure, and science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) programming. Many girls put the money toward impactful community projects right in their own backyards, from supporting animal shelters and food banks to working with local and state legislators to change laws. And the cookie program’s benefits are many; a recent Girl Scout Research Institute study found that two out of three girls who participate in the program learn five crucial skills—goal setting, decision making, money management, people skills, and business ethics—while doing incredible things for themselves and their communities. The proceeds stay local, meaning that when consumers purchase the delicious cookies that come from a registered Girl Scout only, they’re giving back to their wider community.
From creating after-school programs to changing national legislation, Girl Scouts are doing remarkable things made possible by each and every cookie sale. However, girls’ cookie proceeds alone aren’t enough to power the Girl Scout Movement—investing in girls is important year-round, not just during cookie season.
“The Girl Scout Cookie Program is the largest girl-led entrepreneurial program in the world,” says council CEO, Tammie Helmuth. “It teaches our girls what it takes to be successful, providing them with the skills that businesses need in their employees and the world needs in their leaders. When you support your local Girl Scouts, girls learn that they accomplish any goal they set their minds to. Ask cookie sellers about the Smart Cookie app and you will be amazed at the tools they have to run their cookie business!”
Photo courtesy of the Girl Scouts
