Girl Scouts are learning and giving back

NEW ORLEANS — In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Girl Scouts Louisiana East’s staff, volunteers and girls have found ways to safely help #HealthcareHeroes and fellow Girl Scouts, and use this time of social distancing to learn and think creatively while at home.
Several local Girl Scout troops not only donated Girl Scout Cookies to healthcare staff, but even made masks for nurses and physicians at hospitals across southeastern Louisiana.
Since many Girl Scout councils across the nation did not have the opportunity to host cookie sales before the COVID-19 crisis, GSLE is spreading the word that people can purchase cookies online for themselves or donate them to first responders, volunteers and local causes at girlscouts.org/cookiecare. GSLE also developed an at-home learning solution using its Facebook page.
“When we first learned that we would be canceling events for the next two months, our Girl Experience team immediately got to work creating programs for Girl Scouts to complete at home,” explains GSLE CEO Rebecca Pennington, “We’ve been posting new activities each day on our Facebook page, and now have a website where parents can search for activities by grade level or topic.”
Girl Scout activities focus on four pillars: entrepreneurship, STEM, life skills and the outdoors. Badges that can be completed at home range from writing short stories to learning coding.
While these programs were developed for Girl Scouts, you don’t have to be a Girl Scout to participate, the Girl Scouts Louisiana East representative said. All parents who are seeking ways to engage their girls during this time are encouraged to check out our Facebook page (facebook.com/GSLEcouncil) or visit girlscouts.org/athome.
—Girl Scouts Louisiana East is the an organization for leadership development of girls, grades K to 12, in 23 parishes (including St. Mary and St. Martin) of southeast Louisiana. Chartered by Girl Scouts of the USA. GSLE serves more than 10,200 girls, with 3,400 adult members.
Girl Scouts offers every girl a chance to practice a lifetime of leadership, adventure, and success. To volunteer, reconnect, donate, or join, visit www.gsle.org.