Girl Scout Cookie Program Runs January 14 Through March 6

Girls will be selling cookies in central and southern New Jersey from January 14th through March 6th.

​From local businesses to popular shopping malls, Girl Scouts will be setting up cookie booths for their annual Cookie Program, the largest girl-led business in the nation. Girls will be selling cookies in central and southern New Jersey from January 14th through March 6th.

Thin Mints, Peanut Butter Patties, Shortbreads, Caramel deLites, Lemonades (a cookie celebrating its 10th birthday this year!), Thanks-A-Lots, Peanut Butter Sandwiches and Cranberry Citrus Crisps can be purchased from the Girl Scout troops for $4.00 per box.  Select locations will also be selling a limited supply of the new gluten-free Trios cookie; chocolate chips nestled in a gluten-free peanut butter oatmeal cookie, available for $5.

The Girl Scout Cookie Program teaches the girls the 5 essential business skills of Girl Scouts: goal setting, decision making, money management, people skills and business ethics.  Mahiyah, one of the top cookie seller from 2015, was able to connect skills learned selling cookies with aiming for her future career. When asked her favorite part about the Girl Scout Cookie Program, she noted, “The business aspect, because its preparing me for my future as an entrepreneur”.  Along with learning these valuable life skills, selling Girl Scout Cookies will help girls reach their troop goals including travel opportunities, camping and more. Another top 2015 cookie seller, Vienna, shared what her troop did with their cookie revenue, “We save, share, and spend.  We are saving for a big trip when we graduate from the 8th grade. With our cookie money, we are cooking dinner for the firemen and throwing three parties at the retirement home for the residents.  We are also taking some small trips for the spend part”.  The Girl Scout Cookie Program remains the largest financial literacy program for girls in the country generating $790 million in sales.

Along with local booth sales, the Girl Scouts will also be taking cookie sales digital through the Digital Cookie Platform. Through this platform, local Girl Scouts will be able to take cookie orders from customers and automate cookie shipments through a unique transaction application designed specifically for Girl Scouts. This allows a wider cookie reach, but also teaches girls e-commerce, online marketing, and digital money management skills in partnership with the 5 essential business skills. Ginny Marino, CEO of the Girl Scouts of Central & Southern NJ states, “The iconic Girl Scout Cookie Program helps today’s girls learn business and life skills.  At each level, components are built into the program to help girls develop leadership, business and goal setting skills, along with money management. Our girls are even moving into a new generation of business with online sales.”  The platform offers an online experience that allows Girl Scouts to manage digital dashboards to track their sales and goals.  

Once again, Girls Scouts will be sponsoring the “Taste of Home” Program, a service project for sending Girl Scout Cookies to US Soldiers serving overseas.  Last year, 1,890 cases of Girl Scout Cookies were purchased for the soldiers and donated through the “Taste of Home” Program, an 8.5% increase from 2014!  The 2016 Girl Scout cookie donation goal is 2,000 cases.  Consumers can purchase additional cookies from any Girl Scout to donate to the military.

Girl Scout Cookie fans can find their favorite cookies online, by using the Cookie Finder at www.girlscoutcookies.org  or by downloading the mobile app available for Android and Apple devices.

About Girl Scouts of Central & Southern NJ, Inc.

Girl Scouts of Central & Southern NJ (GSCSNJ) is the premier organization serving 19,000 girls in over nine counties. GSCSNJ will shape leaders for tomorrow by empowering girls to take on bold challenges, discover their own passions and strengths, act with character, and engage fully in fun, relevant experiences that encourage friendships and build life-long skills.  For more information on how to join, volunteer, reconnect or donate to Girl Scouts of Central & Southern NJ, call (800) 582-7692 or visit www.gscsnj.org.  You can also connect with GSCSNJ on Twitter @GSCSNJ or Facebook.com/GSCSNJ!