"A Message From Our CEO: Innovating on Behalf of Girls
Posted: 23 Mar 2016 10:00 PM PDT
"At Girl Scouts we are always thinking about the future and how we can best prepare the next generation of girls to take the lead every day. Our Movement has such a rich history of forward thinking and innovation—and now in our second century, as we advance the Girl Scout mission of building girls of courage, confidence, and character, who make the world a better place, it continues to be important that we keep pace with an ever-changing world.
As the first and largest girl-led organization in the world, we continue to evolve our unique leadership program and implement new technologies and ways of work to enhance the Girl Scout experience for girls, volunteers, and parents. To ensure we have the resources to support this work, the National Board of Girl Scouts of the USA has made a decision to increase the annual membership fee to $25, starting October 1, 2017, for both girl and adult members.
While this fee increase will impact many families, we know that a Girl Scout membership is one of the most valuable investments anyone can make in a girl’s life. With unique programs for girls from coast to coast and across the globe, Girl Scouts offers every girl a chance to explore new interests and face challenges, form new friendships, and make lasting community contributions. Every dollar of membership dues is sent to Girl Scouts of the USA to cover the cost of fundamental services supporting the Girl Scout Movement including: accident insurance for members participating in approved Girl Scout activities, research, resources, training, and services to councils.
With the extra funding, we will be able to sustain and develop exceptional leadership programs, implement digital innovations to enhance the girl and volunteer experience nationwide, maintain fundamental services for our 2.7 million members, and better engage our 59 million alumnae. It will enable Girl Scouts of the USA to continue delivering best-in-class service and support to our Movement’s 112 councils, and to provide thousands of volunteers with the relevant resources, tools, and training they need to best serve today’s girls.
Nationally, we are building some amazing programs for girls in the areas of STEM, entrepreneurship, outdoor, and life skills. Locally, girls are empowered with the skills and entrepreneurial know-how to lead and succeed in the industries of tomorrow, as they tackle local and global issues of interest to them, such as poverty, illiteracy, and pollution. The additional funding provided by the upcoming membership fee increase will ensure this important programming endures and thrives.
At Girl Scouts, we remain grounded in the core principles of our founder Juliette Gordon Low—of being an organization that is inclusive, accessible, and innovative—and we are committed to providing a positive and meaningful experience to every girl who wants to be a Girl Scout throughout her life journey. For more information about how this adjustment to our membership dues may affect you, please refer to our FAQ.
Thank you for your continued support of girls and your investment in our mission.
Yours in Girl Scouting,
Anna Maria Chávez CEO of Girl Scouts of the USA"
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<Adding: For our council, I hear that our GSK Board will be discussing our council service fee as we move forward too.>
Further discussion about the increase in our (National) Annual Membership Fee is taking place on this subject at the unofficial Outdoor Girl Scout Project today. If you are a member, come join the conversation! If you are not, you can apply here:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/outdoor.journey/
and I will OK you there.
We are also discussing Proposals and Discussion Proposals that councils can give to their CEO's and Boards to move forward for the National Council Session in 2017 as well.
You can also leave a comment here anytime! :-)
Betsy
