Disclaimer: The author of this article is currently a member of Girl Scouts of the USA.
Girl Scout cookies are likely familiar to many readers as a tasty seasonal treat, brought home from booths set up outside of grocery stores or delivered to your door by your neighbor’s kids. It is well known that their sale funds both the nonprofit Girl Scouts of the USA, as well as individual troops and scouts. You may also know that this year, preorders for cookies begin Jan. 26 and booths open Feb. 23. But where precisely does your money go, who exactly is it benefiting, and how does it all work?
Victoria Foreman, the director of product sales at Girl Scouts of Oregon and Southwest Washington (GSOSW), explains, “The Girl Scout Cookie Program funds stay local and go towards camp, program activities, adult support, troop proceeds, the cost of cookies, Girl [Scout] recognitions, and maintaining properties.” Foreman says that in her experience, troops do a variety of things with cookie money, including purchasing basic things like patches, uniforms, or craft supplies. However, proceeds mostly fund troop adventures such as attending camps, traveling, or attending Girl Scout STEM events. Many troops even use their money to fund community service projects.
Beyond troop funding, individual scouts also receive certain rewards depending on the number of boxes they sell, which include prizes and “Cookie Credit,” a form of currency that can be used within Girl Scouts. Amelia Nguyen, a cadette Girl Scout, says she uses her Cookie Credit for summer overnight camps. Her favorite cookie-funded troop activity was when her troop went to spend a long weekend at one of Oregon’s Girl Scout properties, staying in its lodge while “exploring all around and playing games.”
Eudora Douglass, also a cadette, says that one of her top cookie-financed outings is when her troop traveled to the Out’n’About Treehouses in Southern Oregon. They explored, crafted, and even went ziplining. Douglass recounts another time: “We went horseback riding as juniors, [and] spent a couple of nights there. That has been my long-time favorite [troop trip].” Douglass also uses her Cookie Credit to attend overnight camps, as well as for shopping at the Girl Scout store. This year Nguyen’s troop is fundraising for a train trip to Seattle, Washington; while Douglass’ troop is planning a trip to Alaska.
Foreman encourages buying cookies, explaining that these experiences help develop crucial skills. “Through the cookie program, Girl Scouts learn five essential skills: goal setting, decision making, money management, people skills, and business ethics. Plus, all proceeds from the Girl Scout cookie sale stay local, powering life-changing experiences for girls.” Douglass agrees, saying people should buy cookies because “it helps troops and girls fundraise for fun things that they want to do … [like] going on a trip that [individual troop members] otherwise couldn’t afford.” Foreman adds that she is “inspired by the life skills that are being developed in the cookie program. Girls are developing a strong sense of self by participating and learning skills to succeed … No matter what [Girl Scouts] choose to do later in life, [their] business skills are transferable.”
There are also options to make the same impact even if cookies aren’t your thing. If dairy or gluten is a problem, gluten-free and vegan cookies are available. If cookies themselves are the problem — dislike or diet — but you still want that warm fuzzy feeling of supporting Scouts’ futures and dreams, Girl Scouts may have the perfect option for you: a Gift of Caring. Customers can purchase Gift of Caring boxes at booths, door-to-door, or online, which donates a box of cookies to either Meals on Wheels or a specified troop cause.
Girl Scout’s cookie program has been around for over a 100 years, and it’s constantly evolving. From the first grassroots cookie fundraiser in 1917, to its adoption of widespread door-to-door sales, and then booths, plus its most recent addition of online sales, Girl Scouts continues moving forward with each generation of Scouts. The support of customers is what keeps Girl Scouts alive and ready for the next generation. You can support these young, ambitious girls by pre-ordering cookies — online or in person — beginning Jan. 26, or purchasing at booths outside of supermarkets and local businesses starting Feb. 23.
