CICERO, N.Y. (May 14, 2018) — Troops in the Girl Scouts of NYPENN Pathways (GSNYPENN) council concluded a successful and rewarding 2018 Girl Scout Cooke Program® and helped bolster thousands of donations to its Council Gift of Caring program.
GSNYPENN Girl Scouts sold 1.95 million boxes—just under a 1 percent increase over the 2017 cookie season. For various reasons, some customers do not wish to buy cookies for themselves but through the annual Council Gift of Caring program are able to give to others while supporting Girl Scouting. Thanks to the generosity of customer donations, 17,626 boxes of cookies were provided to 2018 Council Gift of Caring recipient the Service Member & Family Resource Center. Donations to Gift of Caring increased by 39 percent over 2017.
The Girl Scout Cookie Program is the largest girl-led business in the world and teaches girls essential entrepreneurial skills while powering amazing experiences. Every year Girl Scouts nationwide use cookie earnings to do amazing things in their communities and beyond. From helping animal shelters and feeding the homeless to raising awareness about bullying, making public areas more accessible to people with disabilities and more.
The Service Member & Family Resource Center is located in Syracuse and assists military personnel who reside in Broome, Cayuga, Chenango, Cortland, Herkimer, Jefferson, Lewis, Madison, Oneida, Onondaga, Oswego, St. Lawrence, Tioga and Tompkins counties. Resource centers are located across the nation to serve the needs of service members and their families and veterans and their survivors by providing information, referrals, deployment support and assistance.
Cookies were shared with wounded warriors, veterans, service members and military families regardless of branch or duty status. Several community partners received cookies, including the Office of Warrior Care Policy at Fort Drum Army Base, the Corporal Kyle R. Schneider Foundation in Baldwinsville, New York Army and Air National Guard posts, Clear Path for Veterans in Chittenango, regional VFW and American Legion posts and The Vet Center in Syracuse.
“We are grateful to all Girl Scouts across the NYPENN Pathways region for their efforts and dedication as they encouraged customers to consider gifting cookies to be shared with our service members. The girls and their families are to be commended for their generosity, citizenship and also their amazing accomplishments this season. Never underestimate the ‘healing power’ of a Girl Scout Cookie and the support of our community to help us care for those who serve our nation,” said Anne Marie Lara, Family Assistance Specialist.
“We are extremely proud of our girls – they are cookie entrepreneurs who gained valuable life skills through the program. We are also incredibly thankful to customers who took part in our Council Gift of Caring Program by donating purchases in support of the Service Member & Family Resource Center. Through their generosity we were able to gift thousands of cookies to service members. We appreciate the outpouring of support from the public and this collaboration,” said Julie Dale, CEO of Girl Scouts of NYPENN Pathways.
Girl Scouts of NYPENN Pathways, Inc., news release May 14, 2018