Girl Scouts persevere through pandemic setbacks for cookie sales

SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- Tis' the season for Girl Scout cookies! The Girl Scouts of Northern Indiana Michiana have officially launched their cookie program Friday. However, due to COVID-19 restrictions, the girls are having to think ‘outside of the box’ to hit those typical cookie sales.

“These are so much more than packages of cookies. These are packages of adventure, of friendship of confidence, of courage,” says Product Program Specialist at Girl Scouts of Northern Indiana Michiana, Chelsea Wilson.  

GSNIM is a group of over 6,000 girls who come together throughout the year to grow as women and form friendships. The cookie program teaches them money management, goal setting, people skills, business ethics, and of course is…delicious.  Now, this year, it also is teaching them about how to work through adversity.  

The girl scouts are being encouraged to go as contactless as possible in their sales to keep both them and their families safe. Because of this, booth sales and door to door might not be their main source of sales. Rather, the girls are getting creative. New this year, each girl scout has one link that will stay active from customer to customer.

In previous years, after sending one online link to a family member, the link only had that one time use. Now with the ability for an active link, Wilson says the girls may just be able to reach people…beyond Michiana.  

“If you see somebody’s link on Facebook, twitter, Instagram share that link, one of the biggest complaints we get every year is that somebody didn’t know a girl scout to get cookies. We are not going to have our girls out in the community as much like we did in the past, so share the link, share the love,” says Wilson.  

Now what about those who may not know a scout, have no fear! You can email [email protected] and they will get you situated.

Now some counties who are not in the red zone for COVID-19 numbers, may still have booths. However, not as many as usual. You can use the app “Find Cookies!” to see if there might be some scouts in your area. For further information about supporting the Girl Scouts of Northern Indiana Michiana, visit here.