This spring, the council of the Queen Anne Girl Scouts of Western Washington was gifted a generous donation of $100,000 by an anonymous donor. The Girl Scouts organization recently cleared up their policy on transgender participants stating that “if the child is recognized by the family and school/community as a girl and lives culturally as a girl, then Girl Scouts is an organization that can serve her in a setting that is both emotionally and physically safe.” This new statement prompted the benefactor to send a follow-up request stating, “Please guarantee that our gift will not be used to support transgender girls. If you can’t, please return the money.”
CEO Megan Ferland announced soon after that she was “very sad” to receive the letter, and decided to return the $100,000 gift. “Girl Scouts is for every girl,” she stated. “And every girl should have the opportunity to be a Girl Scout if she wants to.” In response to the announcement, the chapter launched a crowdfunding campaign in an attempt to replace critical funds that were initially lost. The campaign which has since gone viral, included the hashtag #ForEveryGirl, along with an inspiring video.
The result? Over 5,200+ people heard about the situation and decided to donate and within just two days, they had surpassed their original $100,000 goal and had raised over $250,000. The takeaway? In staying loyal to their brand’s mission and values, the Girl Scouts were able to turn a negative situation into something they couldn’t even begin to imagine.
Many are commending the organization for their efforts to eradicate prejudice and continue their efforts to assist and include young girls in their programming. As a woman and former Girl Scout myself, I’m proud to be one of them.
-Carolyn Rasley, Account Executive
