Change the World

100th Anniversary Change the World

Commemorate our 100th anniversary year with a project to help your community. Community service projects can earn a yellow candle for the 100th anniversary cake patch.

Tell us about your community service project, and share your photos and we’ll consider your stories and photos for our blog!

September – Literacy

As students return to school all across our council we are reminded of the importance of reading. This month we encourage girls, their family and friends to get involved in projects to help promote literacy in their communities.

We have a literacy program from the UK for you to do with your girls. At the end of the program you can set up your own reading tent to gather book donations and share your new skills with others. Download our Loving Literacy packet and handouts.

October – Make New Friends

Make new friends and keep the old. In October we encourage girls, their families and friends to take on projects to be a better friend and to make new friends. At the end of the program you can make your Say No to Bullying pledge and host a Friendship Party.

We have partnered with the UK to provide several programs on anti-bullying and friendship for all grade levels. You will learn about how to combat bullying and build healthy friendships. At the end of the program you can make your Say No to Bullying pledge and host a Friendship Party.

Daisies: Say No to Bullying packet, Say No to Bullying handout, Fabulous Friends packet, Fabulous Friends handout

Brownies: Say No to Bullying packet, Say No to Bullying handout, Fabulous Friends packet, Fabulous Friends handout

Junior-Ambassadors: Friendship Challenge

November – Make the Holiday Happy

The holidays are a great time for girls, their family and friends to make someone else’s holiday happy.  Organize a toy drive for those less fortunate or participate in a drive like Toys for Tots in your community.  Check with your church, local community center or Salvation Army to find out how you can make a child happy during the holidays.

December – Help the Hungry

Girls, their families and friends are encouraged to make an impact on hunger in their community.  Make a difference by helping one day at a food pantry in your area, make posters for your local food pantry advertising the items that they need, collect food for your local food pantry or get involved with a Food Drive that is already established in your community.  Check out the Help the Hungry council patch.

January – Martin Luther King Day of Service

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. once said, “Life’s most persistent and urgent question is: What are you doing for others?”  MLK Day is a chance to start the year off right by making an impact in your community.  This year, we challenge Girl Scouts, their families and friends, to make it a day on instead of a day off.  Visit www.mlkday.gov and find a project in your local community that needs your support.

February – Forever Green Reduce Plastic Waste

During the month of February, Girl Scouts, their families and friends are encouraged to learn about the effects of plastic waste on our environment and choose a way to help reduce plastic waste.  Girls can use and support the use of reusable bags (for shopping, school lunches, gym clothes, etc.) preferably by making reusable bags from materials that would have been put in a landfill, using them yourself and giving them to others to use.  Girls and families can also advocate for the reduction of use of disposable plastic water bottles by using a refillable, reusable water bottle.  Participants should go towww.girlscouts.org/gsforevergreen to record your contribution and take the Girl Scout Forever Green Pledge.

March – Forever Green Earth Hour

During the month of March, Girl Scouts, their families, friends, and community affiliates are encouraged to change incandescent light bulbs to ENERGY STAR® qualified or other energy-efficient light bulbs.  On the last Saturday of March, Girl Scouts will unite with hundreds of millions of people around the world in turning off lights for one hour—Earth Hour—from 8:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.  Participants are asked to go to www.girlscouts.org/gsforevergreen to record your contribution and take the Girl Scout Forever Green Pledge.

April – Forever Green Rain Gardens

In April, Girl Scouts, their families and friends are encouraged to learn about, construct, and maintain rain gardens in their communities at schools, homes and other sites. Participants are asked to go to www.girlscouts.org/gsforevergreento record the number of square feet of rain gardens planted, the number of native plants used, and the number of gardens designed and planted. Everyone involved should then take the Girl Scout Forever Green Pledge.

May – Community Clean Up

Girl Scouts always leave a place better than they found it.  This month we encourage girls, their family and friends to make their community better than they found it.  Organize a community clean up day in your neighborhood, a local park or join an organization like Living Lands and Waters and help clean up a waterway.  Check our your local Girl Scout camp and join other Girl Scouts to get camp ready for the summer.  Whatever you choose, you will be making the world a better place.

June – Support Local Farmers

On average the food on your plate travels 1500 miles to get there.  In June we encourage girls, their families and friends to improve the environment and support local agriculture.   Visit your local farmers markets, help in a community garden, or check out Community Supported Agriculture CSA as a way to get fresh produced in your home.  Not only are you making the world a better place but you can support a healthier lifestyle at home.