From GIRL SCOUTS OF WESTERN OHIO
Girl Scouts of Western Ohio and Girl Scouts of the USA (GSUSA) announce the return of the gluten-free Toffee-tastic® cookie, part of the 2019 Girl Scout Cookie® season lineup, in select areas. More than just delicious cookies, the Girl Scout Cookie Program® fuels girls’ development of entrepreneurial and essential life skills, and the cookie earnings power amazing experiences for girl members.
The largest girl-led entrepreneurial program in the world, the Girl Scout Cookie Program is proven to help the majority of girl participants develop five essential life and business skills, fostering the next generation of women who are entrepreneurs and business leaders. A recent Girl Scout Research Institute study found that 85 percent of girls surveyed learned how to set goals and meet deadlines, 88 percent became effective decision-makers, 88 percent learned to manage money, 85 percent gained people skills, and 94 percent learned business ethics—all through the Girl Scout Cookie Program. Two out of three girls surveyed (66 percent) developed all five skills while doing amazing things for themselves and their communities.
Each and every purchase of Girl Scout Cookies—100 percent of the net revenue, which stays local—is an investment in girls and their leadership capabilities, both now and in the future. And Girl Scouts in the Toledo area are able to do incredible things thanks to their cookie earnings, such as designing and distributing rain barrels that each collect and recycle over 730 gallons of water a year.
“Learning what your customer base wants and needs from the product you offer is an important skill girls learn through the Girl Scout Cookie Program,” said Ashley Thoreen, product sales team lead for GSWO. “We’re excited about the return of the gluten-free Toffee-tastic cookie, because it gives our girls an option for customers with dietary restrictions. What better way to teach our girls how to be consumer experts than to provide products that meet their customers’ needs and expand their Cookie business?”
“The Girl Scout Cookie Program plays a powerful role in developing financially savvy girl leaders,” said GSUSA CEO Sylvia Acevedo. “Girl entrepreneurs learn valuable interpersonal and business skills via the cookie program that help them become successful in their future careers, no matter what path they choose. My experience selling Girl Scout Cookies taught me to be creative, enterprising, and persistent, and helped me build self-confidence and resilience. When you buy Girl Scout Cookies you are not only helping girls become business trailblazers, you’re also helping them power their Girl Scout adventures and ensuring they have access to the cutting-edge leadership experiences and opportunities that only Girl Scouts can offer.”
Girl Scouts of Western Ohio will continue to offer the gluten-free Toffee-tastic® cookie, which joins classics like the Thin Mints®, Samoas®, and Trefoils® varieties. Toffee-tastic, introduced in 2015, is a rich, buttery cookie with sweet, crunchy, golden toffee bits. The cookie variety is offered only in select Girl Scout council markets for as long as supplies last, and it can only be purchased from a registered Girl Scout. Like other similar consumer products, gluten-free cookies may be priced higher than other Girl Scout Cookies, reflecting the cost of production.
This July, GSUSA also announced 30 new badges now available exclusively for Girl Scouts ages 5–18 that not only enhance the one-of-a-kind Girl Scout experience, but also address some of society’s most pressing needs, such as cybersecurity, environmental advocacy, mechanical engineering, robotics, computer science, and space exploration. In a safe all-girl space, Girl Scouts develop important soft skills, including confidence and perseverance, as well as hard skills, setting them up for success and preparing them to take action for a better world.
To learn more about the Girl Scout Cookie Program and find out when Girl Scouts will be selling cookies near you, visit www.girlscoutcookies.org. For more information about Girl Scouts, including how to join or volunteer, visit gswo.org/join.
