Girl Scouts of Southeastern New England (GSSNE) has been awarded a $100,000 challenge grant from The Champlin Foundations. The grant will help to provide the Girl Leadership Experience Center with technology and allow us to continue to deliver innovative programming to our members.

The Leadership Center is located at our council headquarters in Warwick and is being developed into a girl-led hub of creativity, connectivity, exploration and inspiration. Programming will be offered in six key areas:

• Making A Difference
• Life Skills
• Travel/Adventure
• Camping/Outdoor Skills
• Global Citizenship and
• STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, the Arts and Math).

---

DONOR SPOTLIGHT

We are grateful to Bristol County Savings Bank (BCSB), who through its Bristol County Savings Charitable Foundation (BCSCF), presented a grant to the Girl Scouts of Southeastern New England for $3,000.

It is thanks to Corporations like Bristol County Savings Bank that we are able to continue the work we do to serve over 7000 girls in our communities.

Pictured from left to right: (from left to right):

Dennis Leahy, Executive Vice President, BCSB and Treasurer, BCSCF; Koreen Santos, BCSCF-Southcoast Advisory Board Member and President, Santos & Santos Certified Public Accountants; Jon Mitchell, Mayor, City of New Bedford; Jill Martens, Fund Development Manager for GSSNE; Patrick Murray, President & CEO, BCSB and President, BCSCF; and Michele Roberts, Executive Vice President & Community Relations Officer, BCSB and Clerk, BCSCF.

---

It costs just $469 to support one girl of courage, confidence and character for one year.

Where does the money come from?

While we do charge nominal fees for our programs, these fees are subsidized to a great extent in order to make our programs – including summer camp – affordable for all girls.

These subsidies come from product sales (like the Girl Scout Cookie Sale), Girl Scout shop sales and from philanthropic donations – from individuals, civic groups, corporations and private foundations.

Philanthropy helps us:

• Provide camperships to girls who could not otherwise afford to attend camp
• Provide financial assistance to girls who need help purchasing books, uniform pieces and membership dues;
• Communicate with parents, girls and volunteers
• Provide training for our volunteers
• Maintain our properties and facilities
• Purchase camp equipment like canoes, archery equipment and tents
• Fund urban outreach programs like our after school programs and Girl Scouts Beyond Bars, our program for incarcerated mothers and their daughters.

Individual Giving

Individuals can make a secure online contribution to Girl Scouts of Southeastern New England using our convenient online form. Gifts can either be restricted to a particular program, property or geographic region or gifts can be unrestricted, which means we’ll use your gift where it’s most needed. Gifts are often made “in honor of” or “in memory of” somebody special. Rest assured we are good stewards of your financial support. Click here for our most recent IRS Form 990.

Friends of Girl Scouting

Gifts made to our annual campaign, Friends of Girl Scouting, are unrestricted and go where they’re most needed.

Family Partnership

Families of girls in Girl Scouts see the good that Girl Scouts does firsthand. So, many girl families choose to make a donation to GSSNE through the Family Partnership campaign. The donation is typically made at the time the family registers their daughter - whether the registration is online or via a paper form.

Campership

Last summer alone we were able to distribute more than $49,000 in camperships to 241 girls who had the summer of their lives. Families who request financial assistance to attend Girl Scout summer camp must first contribute by selling Girl Scout Cookies (girls receive 20¢ camp credit for each box sold). Families are also responsible for the $35 per session registration fee. Click here to read some of thank you notes we received from girls who were able to attend Girl Scout camp.

United Way

Girl Scouts of Southeastern New England is not a United Way agency, though donors are able to designate their United Way contribution to Girl Scouts of Southeastern New England, as we are a 501(c)3 non-profit. Many individuals also designate their Combined Federal Campaign (CFC) donation or their State Employees Campaign Appeal (SECA) donation to GSSNE.

matching gifts

Many employers will match the gifts their employees make to an organization like Girl Scouts. Usually all it requires is completing a short form – many of which are now online. Ask you employer if they’ll match your gift to GSSNE.

Planned Giving

A gift through your will can be a powerful tool. Estate gifts are one of most important sources of individual support, ensuring programming that promotes the development of strong leadership and decision-making skills in girls all over the country. When preparing or updating your will, be sure to include the Girl Scouts of Southeastern New England.

• Your gift can enable you to make a significant contribution that may otherwise not have been possible during your lifetime.
• Your gift can support a specific area or program.
• A bequest can be for a percentage of your estate or a specific amount.
• Your support will inspire and empower girls everywhere.

Consider a gift to the Girl Scouts as part of your estate planning. Click here (PDF) for suggested bequest language. Girl Scouts of the USA has created a wonderful planned giving website which will provide many of the resources you'll need as you create an estate plan. The site even includes a Will Planning Wizard!

Individuals who identify Girl Scouts of Southeastern New England as one of the beneficiaries in their will become part of the Juliette Low Society, which meets once a year.

Corporate Giving

We are fortunate to count area employers like Amica, E.W. Burman and Washington Trust among the corporations that generously support us through sponsorships and outright donations.

So who are these amazing individuals and organizations that support Girl Scouts of Southeastern New England? Check out our most recent Annual Report (PDF) and see for yourself!