BAKERSFIELD, Calif. — It’s a time for lovers of Thin Mints, Samoas, and Do-si-dos to look forward to every year but during a pandemic, there are questions on how girl scouts will be able to sell their famous cookies.
Due to the pandemic, you won't have to travel very far to get your favorite $5 box of cookies this year. Instead, they'll just show up right at your door.
“It's a great opportunity for girls to think outside of the box because cookie sales are all about building that entrepreneurship skills that they can use later on in their professional world. So great way to mix it up this season,” said Jody Hudson, Girl Scouts development director.
Mixing it up this season, came in some innovative ways to sell cookies after COVID restrictions took place says Girl Scouts Development Director Jody Hudson.
“This year is providing opportunities we didn't think about before. They are able to do it in a virtual environment so a lot of girls have already started online cookie sales. They've got their own individual 'cookie stores,'” said Hudson.
Those new ways to sell cookies during the pandemic come in forms like their recent partnership with Grubhub, the contactless delivery service. Or through the Girl Scout Cookie Finder app, while others are turning to social media platforms, or the cookie donor buyout program which allows businesses to make a charitable donation to the Girl Scout organization.
“It's a beautiful way for businesses and organizations to stand beside the girls, support them in their sales. But then the beauty of that is they can take those cookies they bought from a troop and pay it forward,” added Hudson.
Some did this by giving the gift of a cookie to brighten the days of those who need it most.
Hudson says, "A lot of businesses took those cookies and gave them as a treat to our front line heroes. So there are lots of ways people were rewarded from the cookies.”
While they won't all have that traditional cookie season experience, those who feel comfortable to do so will start selling the treats in-person next month while still following safety protocols.
Despite these changes and challenges, Hudson says the girls are expecting to double those sales with all these new platforms and come back even stronger than before despite these tough times.
“We all have learned perseverance, determination, grit, and just to put one foot in front of the other.”
TO FIND COOKIES NEAR YOU:
https://www.girlscoutsccs.org
TO FIND A GIRL SCOUT COUNCIL NEAR YOU:
https://www.girlscouts.org/en/about-girl-scouts/join/council-finder.html
TO BECOME A GIRL SCOUT:
https://www.girlscoutsccs.org/en/membership/join.html
TO DONATE:
https://www.girlscoutsccs.org/en/ways_to_give/Ways-to-Give/cookie-donor-buyout-program.html
