The Girl Scout Cookie Program
Girl Scouts and cookies are strongly linked in the mind of the public, and with good reason! The Girl Scout Cookie Program is an American tradition, as is the Girl Scout experience.
For more than 90 years, Girl Scouts (with the enthusiastic support of positive adult role models) have ensured the success of the local Girl Scout Cookie Program. From its earliest beginnings to its current popularity, Girl Scouts who sell cookies have fun, develop valuable life skills, and make the world a better place by helping to support Girl Scouting in their communities.
Purpose of the Girl Scout Cookie Program
Decades ago, Juliette Gordon Low, Girl Scouting's founder, was convinced that girls should learn the skills to earn their own way and contribute to troop/group support. She wanted girls to learn skills that would increase their self-confidence and would add new dimensions to their lives. Making and marketing products, and, subsequently, selling cookies, were the result of this commitment to encourage girls to develop life skills.
The purpose of the Girl Scout Cookie Program, the nation's premier entrepreneurship program, is twofold. First and foremost, selling cookies helps girls develop a wide range of skills, including:
- Leadership
- Money management
- Decision making
- Planning
- Goal setting
- Teamwork
- Public speaking
The second purpose is to generate income that provides a variety of activities and experiences for all girls. All proceeds generated from the Utah Cookie Program stay in Utah. Money raised through the annual Cookie Program supports the Girl Scout experience by funding:
- Camp and other activities for Utah's Girl Scouts
- Leadership development for adults who represent underserved population groups
- Maintenance of camps
- Scholarship assistance to make Girl Scouting available for all girls
- Travel scholarships for girls
- Support for special membership initiatives, such as Girl Scout troops in homeless shelters and migrant communities
- The purchase and maintenance of equipment and property
Girls who participate in the Cookie Program earn activity credits that can be used to purchase Girl Scout merchandise, toward council-sponsored activities or camps, or toward Girl Scout destinations. Each year, girls are also able to earn incentives based on the number of boxes they sell. Click here for information on this year's incentives.
Selling Girl Scout Cookies is a voluntary activity. Every girl who participates must be a registered Girl Scout, provide written parental consent, and receive training in the Girl Scout Cookie Program.
If you would like to participate in the Girl Scout Cookie Program and are not a member of Girl Scouts, click here.
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