The Girl Scout troop for NYC’s homeless girls slayed its first-ever cookie sale, but there’s still time to donate
Based in New York City, Troop 6000 is a group of homeless Girl Scouts founded just over a year ago. The troop held its first-ever cookie sale this week, and we’re so happy to share that they absolutely crushed their initial goal of selling 6,000 boxes. In fact, the Girl Scout troop managed to unload a whopping 30,000 boxes of cookies before wrapping up the historic event at 4 p.m. Saturday, April 14th.
"They have been wanting to do this for so long," Corinthia Fludd, Troop 6000’s recruiting specialist, said on the group's website. "It's the number one thing they ask."
With all that pent-up excitement among the troop’s members, the overwhelming success of the cookie sale isn’t too surprising. Unfortunately, though, these Girl Scouts have been unable to participate in the organization’s annual cookie sale until now because of one very sad reason: “The logistics of selling and delivering cookies has been a challenge for Girl Scouts who live in homeless shelters,” according to the troop’s website.
Kellogg’s Little Brownie Bakers division manufactures the famous Girl Scout cookies. After some planning, the company let Troop 6000 use its East 17th Street store in NYC to sell the treats. This safe space, Girl Scouts of Greater New York CEO Meredith Maskara told TODAY Food, was crucial to the troop’s success.
"When living a transient lifestyle, it's not a convenient place to be thinking about cookie logistics," Maskara said. "We thought, how can we be more innovative and provide a space so that cookie logistics [don't] have to be one of their priorities."
Girl Scouts community engagement specialist Giselle Burgess founded Troop 6000 in 2017. The first troop dedicated to New York City’s homeless girls was created with support from Councilman Jimmy Van Bramer.
“It’s just about the most right thing I’ve ever been a part of,” Van Bramer said at the time.
This is among the best things I’ve ever been a part of. We must expand @GirlScoutsNYC Troop 6000 throughout NYC. https://t.co/qqsDlh3sI5 pic.twitter.com/48FEDQxHtX
— Jimmy Van Bramer (@JimmyVanBramer) April 17, 2017
Sanaa, one of Troop 6000’s original members, told Moneyish that “living in the shelter was kind of hard before Girl Scouts.”
"I thought I was different from everybody else because they had an actual home or apartment, and I was living in a shelter, so I would separate myself," Sanaa said. "It was kind of tough because the room was cramped, and I didn’t have any space, but I got used to it. Girl Scouts brought everybody together. We all started talking together, walking to school together and playing in the hallway."
We couldn’t be happier for the girls of Troop 6000 for their amazing success. And although the cookie sale is over, you can still help support the troop’s future activities. Head over to the troop’s fundraising page to make your donation!
