JOHNSTOWN, Pa. – One cookie at a time, this program is helping to create future generations of female leaders.
The annual Girl Scouts cookie sale will be begin Tuesday and run through March 23.
“This is a program that not only teaches girls skills they can’t get anywhere else by participating in this girl run business, but the proceeds fuel their adventures all year long,” said Lisa Shade, vice president of brand marketing and product programming for Girl Scouts Western Pennsylvania. “Girl Scouts all over the nation are participating in this at about the same time, making it the largest girl-run business in the world, so the girls get to be part of national moment as well.”
Cookies ordered through a Girl Scout will be delivered Feb. 15 through Feb. 23.
Booth sales begin Feb. 28 and run through March 23.
“This is where all their preparation is put into practice,” Shade said. “Girls have to make a case to the general public and explain why Girl Scouting is important to them and why they should buy a box of cookies to support what they’re looking to accomplish.”
The cookie lineup includes Thin Mints, a peppermint cookie covered in chocolate; Do-Si-Dos, an oatmeal-peanut butter cookie sandwich; Samoas, a mix of caramel, coconut and chocolate cookie; Tagalongs, a peanut butter-topped cookie dipped in chocolate; Girl Scouts S’mores, a graham sandwich cookie with chocolate and marshmallow filling; Trefoils, a shortbread cookie; Toffee-Tastic, a gluten-free buttery cookie with toffee bits; Lemon-ups, a crispy lemon cookie; and Adventurefuls, a brownie-inspired cookie with caramel-flavored creme and a hint of sea salt.
“This will be the last year for the Girl Scouts S’mores cookies, so fans of that cookie should definitely plan on stocking up,” Shade said. “After the 2025 program, they will no longer be available.”
This year, cost is $6 per box.
Throughout the duration of the cookie sale, the Digital Cookie Platform will give people the option to purchase cookies through a website designed by a Girl Scout. The cookies will be delivered by a Girl Scout or can be shipped directly to the person’s home.
In addition, those looking for cookies can text “COOKIES” to 59618 for information on how to purchase them along with other Girl Scout news.
Last year, through Operation: Sweet Appreciation, Girl Scouts Western Pennsylvania sent 1.9 million packages of cookies to veterans and men and women serving at home and overseas in the U.S. military as well as to first responders.
“Locally, Girl Scouts really appreciate the opportunity to give back to the people who serve them in their community,” Shade said.
Online donations for Operation: Sweet Appreciation will run through May 26.
Proceeds from the cookie sale stay local to Girl Scouts Western Pennsylvania.
Funds raised help pay for many aspects of Girl Scouting, including keeping camping affordable by subsidizing the registration cost; supporting Girl Scout leadership experience, which includes girl programming, curriculum and events; and providing grants to girls and troops with financial barriers so Scouting is available to all girls.
Girls also earn proceeds for their individual troops, which are used for troop activities and service projects within their communities.
“Girls are gaining so many skills while also having fun, so they’re probably not realizing how much they are learning,” Shade said.
For more information on the cookie sale program, visit www.gswpa.org.