Our Promise, January 2021

Community Service - Reimagined

For 22 years, April Showers has been an opportunity for eastern Missouri Girl Scouts to serve their communities. Although April Showers was postponed due to COVID-19, our communities’

were able to select and purchase items for donation. All items were delivered to Girl Scouts of Eastern Missouri’s office and distributed to participating agencies with our partner, Operation Food Search. “Beyond food, personal care items are the most requested by our community food partners (pantries),” said Kristen Wild, Executive Director of Operation Food Search. “Autumn Showers donations are greatly appreciated by all pantry clients, and Operation Food Search is equally grateful to the Girl Scouts of Eastern Missouri for these crucial donations.” Girl Scouts is synonymous with giving back and for the past century, eastern Missouri Girl Scouts have been making a positive difference through girl-led initiatives, including Autumn Showers. Since 1998, local area Girl Scouts have collected more than 24 million personal care items with generous support from families, friends and neighbors. As many Autumn Showers recipients are living at or below the federal poverty level, hundreds of thousands of households count on these life-changing donations.

need for personal care items still exists. This past fall, our members helped individuals and families in need by participating in a virtual version of Girl Scouts of Eastern Missouri’s largest community service program, Autumn Showers. In total, 81,281 personal care items were donated.

Girl Scouts across eastern Missouri shared a registry link with their families and friends to collect shampoo, deodorant, toothpaste, soap, disposable diapers and other personal care items. These donated essentials were delivered to more than 80 local shelters, pantries and other nonprofits who then directly distributed to individuals and families in need.

Supported through Walmart Registry for Good and sponsored by Delta Dental, community members

Girl Scouts Can’t Be Quarantined For more than 100 years, Girl Scouts have stepped up in times of crisis and turmoil. Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, eastern Missouri Girl Scouts continue taking charge, determined to do their part in making the world a better, more positive place. Mira Lyer, Girl Scout Senior

Ruth and her Girl Scout sisters have assembled and sewed more than 45 headbands with buttons. Ruth Kamp, Girl Scout Junior “What’s so special about my Girl Scout troop is that they care a lot for their leaders. My mom works at an urgent care, and after wearing a mask all day, her ears would hurt. They wanted to help, so they sewed her a headband with buttons on the sides.”

“Giving back has always been a really important to me; I love to serve. I think Girl Scouts has had a lot to do with that. I feel like now, in this pandemic, it was necessary to do something.” Mira and her mom, Shanthi, have carved out several hours every evening to cut and sew masks.