Girl Scouts across WNY embrace e-commerce to expand entrepreneurship & digital skills

Girl Scouts of Western New York’s popular fall product program has returned, featuring a wide selection of candy, nuts and magazines, plus opportunities to give back to local military personnel and veterans. Participants across Western New York will put their entrepreneurial, e-commerce, and cyber-safety skills to work as they use an online digital platform to engage friends, family and the general public to order product. The fall program runs through Oct. 30.

Membership is open to all girls in grades K-12 with flexible program opportunities to choose from. The fall product program, along with the spring cookie program, helps girls to raise funds for their participation. Financial aid is also available to any new families interested in joining.

The community can support a local Girl Scout when they stock up on popular sweet and savory items such as Peanut Butter Bears, Dulce de Leche Owls, English Butter Toffee, Dark Chocolate Mint Penguins, Dark Chocolate Caramel Caps with Sea Salt, Chocolate Covered Raisins, fat free Fruit Slices, Dill Pickle Flavored Peanuts, Whole Cashews with Sea Salt, and Peanut Butter Trail Mix. New this year – Caramel Apples and Sweet & Salty Mix. Prices range from $6 to $40.

Through the fall product program, girls gain practical money smarts and the knowledge of how to navigate selling products in a digital environment, which are skills that will last girls a lifetime. Learning by doing gives girls a sense of accomplishment and pride in their abilities.

Girls are taught the importance of cyber-safety as they use a digital database to track their orders and send out electronic emails to their customers. This program teaches girls five skills: goal-setting, decision-making, money management, people skills and business ethics. Girls also learn the benefits of working together as a team, as well as earning money to support their activities throughout the year.

Earlier in 2021, new digital leadership badges were released for Girl Scouts. Organizers said, “These future-forward badges support girls using technology to connect with others and create a digital product that makes a positive impact and inspires others to action. Technology can help girls empower themselves and others – and by earning digital leadership badges, Girl Scouts of every age can do just that! The new badges integrate with the concepts of the fall product program creating a hands-on opportunity to test a girl’s skills and boost her confidence.”

Customers can elect to help the local military and veterans. Through the fall product program’s “Operation Gratitude,” customers can choose to purchase items to benefit local military personnel and veterans. Customers can either choose the option through the online platform, or chose the option on a girl’s order card.

For more information, visit gswny.org, call 1-888-837-6410 or email [email protected].

Girl Scouts of Western New York (GSWNY) serves nearly 14,000 girls and 6,000 adult volunteers across the GSWNY jurisdiction, including Cattaraugus, Chautauqua, Erie, Genesee, Livingston, Monroe, Niagara, Orleans and Wyoming counties. The council’s administrative service centers are located in Buffalo, Jamestown, Lockport, Niagara Falls and Rochester.