101st year of Girl Scouts selling cookies begins with return of popular Girl Scout S'mores
Today, Girl Scouts of Western New York (GSWNY) enters the next century of Girl Scouts selling cookies. The Girl Scout Cookie Program not only teaches girls essential entrepreneurial skills, but also powers amazing experiences for them across the U.S. After last year's 100th anniversary of Girl Scouts selling cookies, troops in Western New York are kicking off this season with the return of Girl Scout S'mores, the most popular flavor to launch in the 101 years of Girl Scouts selling cookies. Consumers can now help fuel transformative leadership experiences and build the next generation of entrepreneurs in Western New York by purchasing Girl Scout S'mores and classic favorites like Thin Mints and Caramel deLites.
During Girl Scout Cookie season, each G.I.R.L. (Go-getter, Innovator, Risk-taker, Leader) sets out to sell cookies while also building entrepreneurial and business skills that are imperative for leadership and future success. Almost 1 million Girl Scouts participate in the cookie program each year, generating nearly $800 million in sales during the average season. And all of the net revenue raised - 100 percent of it - stays within the Western New York area. Councils use cookie earnings to power experiences for girls through their programming, while girls and their troops decide how to invest in impactful community projects, personal enrichment opportunities, and more.
All across GSWNY's nine-county region, Girl Scouts are doing things made possible by each and every cookie sale. Whether it's a trip out-of-state, a service project to help the homeless, improve literacy for children, or comfort animals in a shelter, Girl Scout Cookies help make it all happen. However, girls' cookie earnings alone aren't enough to power the Girl Scout Movement - investing in girls is important year-round, not just during cookie season.
"Girl Scout cookies are the best cookies in the world but, beyond the delicious flavor, the Girl Scout Cookie program offers girls an opportunity to do extraordinary things," said Judith Cranston, CEO of Girl Scouts of Western New York. "As the largest entrepreneurial program for girls in the world, the Girl Scout Cookie Program is powering the next century of girl entrepreneurs toward greatness and adult volunteers, and girls can still join Girl Scouts."
Last year, Girl Scouts of Western New York debuted Girl Scout S'mores (a crispy graham cookie double-dipped in a crème icing and enrobed in a chocolaty coating), which are sure to be best-sellers again.
This year, girls will sell cookies door-to-door and at booth sales as well as through the Digital Cookie platform, an innovative and educational web-based addition to the cookie program that helps girls run and manage their Girl Scout Cookie businesses online. Now in its fourth year, the Digital Cookie platform continues to bring Girl Scout programming into the future by providing girls with business and science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) skills that prepare them for 21st century leadership.
Girl Scouts of Western New York will also celebrate the next century of female entrepreneurs during National Girl Scout Cookie Weekend 2018. From Feb. 23-25, Girl Scout councils across the country will host events and set up booths for cookie enthusiasts to get their hands on the iconic treats and join in on the fun. To find out when Girl Scouts are selling cookies near you, visit
www.girlscoutcookies.org or use the official Girl Scout Cookie Finder app, free on
iOS and
Android devices. Also, volunteers are needed and adults and girls can still join Girl Scouts by going to
www.gswny.org.
GSWNY serves nearly 15,000 girls and 7,000 adult volunteers across the local jurisdiction, including Cattaraugus, Chautauqua, Erie, Genesee, Livingston, Monroe, Niagara, Orleans and Wyoming counties. The council's administrative service centers are located in Batavia, Buffalo, Jamestown, Lockport, Niagara Falls and Rochester.