RALEIGH — Girl Scouts – North Carolina Coastal Pines will kick off its 2016 Girl Scout Cookie Sale program this Saturday, Jan. 16. The Girl Scout Cookie Sale program, which is the organization’s largest fundraiser, is a true financial literacy program helping girls learn skills to be leaders in business and sales, manage their finances, and gain self-sufficiency and confidence handling money.
Girl Scouts will sell cookies door to door, at booths, and online through Digital Cookie 2.0, a national platform enabling girls to sell cookies through personalized cookie websites. For the second year, girls will utilize an online business center as part of digital platform powered by COCOdirect to set and track goals, manage their cookie activities, and even accept orders through smartphones and tablets. Digital Cookie strengthens and expands the Girl Scout Cookie Program by combining the values and lessons of door-to-door and booth sales with crucial twenty-first-century business and entrepreneurial skills, sustaining the Girl Scout tradition of preparing today’s girls to be tomorrow’s leaders.
“With this engaging new technology, girls who participate will learn skills to help put them ahead of the curve when entering the workforce, and customers can feel good about supporting girls’ STEM education while purchasing their favorite Girl Scout Cookies,” said Lisa Jones, chief executive officer at Girl Scouts – North Carolina Coastal Pines. “Girl Scouts is proud to be a leader in teaching girls about money management and goal tracking in a digital space that puts an emphasis on safety, learning and fun.”
Everything girls do in Girl Scouting is designed to help them grow into women of courage, confidence and character. The Girl Scout Cookie Program is the largest girl-run business in the world and teaches girls essential skills to succeed personally and professionally, including goal setting, decision making, money management, people skills and business ethics. These five skills are important ingredients in the Girl Scout Leadership Experience.
“When customers purchase a box of Girl Scout Cookies, they are supporting a program helping girls grow into leaders in their own life, in business, and in their communities,” said Jones, adding, “Simply put, the Girl Scout Cookie Sale program helps girls to learn, to lead, and to succeed.”
This year’s sale celebrates 10 years of the favorite LemonadesTM cookie. Other favorites of the program include Thin Mints®, Peanut Butter Patties, Peanut Butter Sandwich, Shortbread, Thanks-A-Lots®, Caramel deLites®, and Cranberry Citrus Crisp. Made with real chocolate chips, real peanut butter and certified gluten free whole grain oats, Trios® will be sold for the second year as a gluten free option. Locally, all Girl Scout Cookie varieties are $4.00 per box.
Sale proceeds remain in central and eastern North Carolina to benefit local Girl Scouts. Girls decide how to spend their troop cookie money and reinvest it back into their neighborhoods through community service projects and learning experiences, like travel opportunities. Because 100 percent of the net revenue raised through the Girl Scout Cookie Program stays with the local council and troops, customers who purchase Girl Scout Cookies are not only getting a delightful treat—they are also making an important investment in their communities.
In partnership over 9,000 adult volunteers, Girl Scouts – North Carolina Coastal Pines serves nearly 26,000 girl members in 41 central and eastern North Carolina counties. (Counties are: Beaufort, Bladen, Brunswick, Carteret, Chatham, Columbus, Craven, Cumberland, Duplin, Durham, Edgecombe, Franklin, Granville, Greene, Halifax, Harnett, Hoke, Johnston, Jones, Lee, Lenoir, Martin, Moore, Nash, New Hanover, Northampton, Onslow, Orange, Pamlico, Pender, Person, Pitt, Richmond, Robeson, Sampson, Scotland, Vance, Wake, Warren, Wayne, and Wilson.) The council’s administrative headquarters is located in Raleigh, with additional program and service centers located in Goldsboro, Fayetteville and Wilmington. To volunteer, reconnect, donate, or join, visit www.nccoastalpines.org or call 800-284-4475.
North Carolina Coastal Pines’ Cookie Program will run through Sunday, March 6. To find cookies on sale near you, visit www.girlscouts.org/cookies. For information about Girl Scouts – North Carolina Coastal Pines’ 2015-2016 cookie season, visit www.nccoastalpines.org.
