They’re universally loved but almost equally feared — at least for those of us on diets. Ladies and gentleman, hold on to your waistlines. It’s Girl Scout Cookie time. On February 7, the Girl Scouts of the USA are launching their National Girl Scout Cookie Weekend, a yearly celebration of the largest girl-led business in the world. But there are ways to support the scouts without maxing out on your daily caloric intake. Many troops across the country participate in a council-approved program called “Cookie Share” or “Gift of Caring.” Through this initiative, participating groups collect cookie donations from buyers, which are sent to military troops overseas or handed out to local charities. By supporting these programs, buyers can help scouts meet their fundraising goals while also sharing treats with those in need.
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Each participating troop can coordinate the charities they want to support. For example, the Girl Scout Council of the Nation’s Capital hosts a Gift of Caring program that allows buyers to donate cookies to the Capital Area Food Bank, as well as send boxes overseas through the USO Metropolitan Washington. Girl Scouts of Kansas Heartland hosts a Cookie Share program, which allows community members to purchase cookies for Catholic Charities, the Kansas Food Bank, and military troops. And the Girl Scouts of the Colonial Coast hosts a “Hometown Heroes” program, in which each troop chooses a different charitable organization or service group to benefit every year.
These charitable initiatives demonstrate that the Girl Scouts Cookies program is more than meets the eye. In fact, it’s a $790 million initiative, which aims to teach girls five essential skills that will help them build a more successful future: goal setting, decision making, money management, people skills and business ethics. With that in mind, we don’t see the harm in ordering a few extra boxes. Just remember: sharing them is the best part.
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