Girl Scouts of Broward County Launches New Online Fundraising Campaign

     Release Date: 7/7/2004
     Press Contact: Lori Sullivan, Director of Marketing
     954/739-7660; ext. #219
     
     OAKLAND PARK, FL --- Girl Scouts of Broward County, Inc. has launched a new online fundraising initiative. The three-year “Commit To A Girl” campaign features a new Web site, www.CommitToAGirl.org, with information on the challenges girls face locally and nationally, and opportunities to support Girl Scouting in Broward County or in any zip code across the United States.
     
     “Girl Scouting helps three million girls develop confidence, real-life skills and the sense of citizenship needed to become the nation’s leaders,” says Kathy Cloninger, CEO of Girl Scouts of the USA. “There are still many more girls who could benefit from our flexible, inclusive program, including girls struggling with tough issues such as peer pressure, low self-esteem, addiction and even violence. It’s never been more important to commit to girls, and the online campaign makes it simple to connect, to give back, and make an impact on girls’ lives today.”
     
     Why do Girls Need Girl Scouts? Research suggests that girls feel many pressures. Girls are beginning to drink at younger ages, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, and in the last two decades their arrest rates have increased faster than arrest rates for juvenile males, according to the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention. In a study by the Girl Scout Research Institute in 2003, girls’ top concerns were being teased or made fun of, and nearly half the teens polled in this study consider speaking and participating in class a threat.
     
     Girl Scouting supports girls and their families with a proven program. Sixty-four percent of today’s women leaders in the United States were Girl Scouts, and 82 percent of high-achieving Girl Scout alumnae believe the organization influenced their success, according to research conducted in 1999 by Louis Harris & Associates. More than 50 million women have been Girl Scouts.
     
     How to Commit To A Girl…Visitors to www.browardgirlscouts.org or www.CommitToAGirl.org can choose to give to the Girl Scouts of Broward County. They also can create their own “Commit To A Girl” page that can be customized to honor a loved one, contact old friends, celebrate a birthday, sign up a book club, reach out to coworkers or classmates, or even host a virtual fundraising party. Donors may select to use a credit card, personal check or PayPal to make their gift.
     
     Girl Scouts of the USA is the preeminent organization for girls, and has more than 3.8 million girl and adult members. The Girl Scouts of Broward County was founded in 1951 and today serves more than 9,000 girls and 4,500 adult volunteers in our community. The purpose of Girl Scouting is to inspire girls with the highest ideals of character, conduct, patriotism and service that they may become happy and resourceful citizens. Girl Scouting seeks to accomplish this by providing girls the opportunity to develop their potential and have fun with their peers in a supportive, all-girl setting.
     
     Now in its 92nd year nationwide, Girl Scouting cultivates values, social conscience and self-esteem in girls while teaching them the critical life skills to succeed as adults. In Girl Scouting, girls discover the fun, friendship, and power of girls together. The organization strives to serve girls from every corner of the United States, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands.
     
     To volunteer your time or make a donation, contact Nancy Hart at (954) 739-7660, ext. 225 or log on to www.browardgirlscouts.org.
     
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