Girl Scouts are always thinking up new and innovative ways to help others… it’s in their DNA! With the holidays upon us (Happy Almost-Turkey-Day!), Girl Scouts are not only giving thanks for what they have but are also working to give others things to be grateful for through service to their communities. Whether it’s singing holiday carols at a local nursing home or collecting donations for Thanksgiving dinner at a domestic violence shelter, Girl Scouts do what they can to make the world a better place.

According to the Girl Scout Research Institute (GSRI), 57% of Girl Scouts exhibit community problem solving skills, as opposed to 28% of non-Girl Scouts. It’s a fact: Girl Scouts provides girls with the tools and experiences they need to learn to take the lead in helping others.

Here are our Top 4 favorite ways to Take Action through Girl Scouts!

1. Earn one of our Highest Awards.

The Girl Scout Gold, Silver, and Bronze Awards are the highest achievements that a Girl Scout can earn. To receive the awards, Girl Scouts must identify a problem in their community and organize an action plan to help solve it. For her Girl Scout Gold Award project, Sanjana built a musical sensory wall at Washington Elementary School. In doing so, Sanjana increased access to arts education at the school so that all children could foster their creativity and tap into their musical passions.

2. Take part in a council service opportunity.

Our council hosts opportunities throughout the year to work towards a common goal of helping others in need. This gives girls in many different troops a chance to work together to make a difference. This past Saturday, November 17th, we hosted our annual Girl Scouts for the Cure event in Chapel Hill where 85 Girl Scouts and 44 adult volunteers learned about breast cancer and completed a service project together. For the service project, they made no-sew fleece lap blankets to be donated to a hospital or long-term care facility.

3. Organize a troop service project.

Teamwork makes the dream work! Troops can identify a cause that they are passionate about and then work on their project during troop meetings. Girl Scout Troop #4393 worked hard to advertise and organize their “Shoes for Autism” service project. They collected over 150 pairs of shoes, and all shoes were sold to an organization that gives them to those in need. The money received for the shoes was donated to the NC Autism Society, which helps kids with autism get the therapies that they need.

4. Join a community-wide service project.

All hands on deck! Girl Scouts can connect with their neighbors to work on a community service project that makes an impact and helps them to feel more connected with the place that they live. Girl Scout Troop #1437 partnered with WCPSS Department of Equity Affairs for a family academic session with Read and Feed. The Girl Scout Juniors and Cadettes prepared a potluck-style meal and served 45 people at Willow Springs Elementary.

By staying involved in the community and completing service projects to help others, Girl Scouts are building courage, confidence, and character, while making the world a better place. Join the Movement by visiting http://www.nccoastalpines.org