Girl Scouts of Kentucky’s Wilderness Road calls on businesses to buy nearly 50,000 boxes of cookies

Girl Scouts of Kentucky’s Wilderness Road (GSKWR) relies heavily on cookie sales as they represent more than 80 percent of its annual operating budget.

The cookie sales also provide girls and their troops the opportunity to set goals and earn their own money, used to fund rigorous programs and growth opportunities.

Because GSKWR Girl Scouts must sell cookies door-to-door and at public gathering places, the impact of actions around the COVID-19 pandemic have halted all direct cookie sales. GSKWR currently has warehouse locations throughout Kentucky housing the 3,900 cases (46,800 boxes) of surplus cookies that must be sold.

Girl Scouts of Kentucky’s Wilderness Road relies heavily on cookie sales as they represent more than 80 percent of its annual operating budget.

Companies throughout Kentucky and Greater Cincinnati, large and small, are urged to purchase cases of cookies to support front-line workers in healthcare, restaurant businesses, manufacturing, distribution and any other essential businesses or organizations that continue to work during the COVID-19 crisis, or to donate to food banks or senior facilities to support vulnerable populations.

“Our Girl Scout Troops actually came up with the idea to drive a call to action to the Kentucky business community to buy cookies to thank employees and help support all the local social service agencies,” said Haleigh McGraw, Communications Director, Girl Scouts of Kentucky’s Wilderness Road.

“Our hope is that the business community will step up and buy all of our surplus inventory so that we can continue to serve our 8,000 K-12 girl members throughout Central, Eastern and Northern Kentucky,” she added.

GSKWR is asking businesses to support its Kentucky Cookie Entrepreneurs by purchasing as many cases as they can, with a minimum of five cases for $250.

By earning their own money through cookie sales, Kentucky Girl Scouts open the door to unlimited growth opportunities — from adventure-packed camping and canoeing, to exploring space science and taking meaningful action to improve their communities.

Troops learn goal setting, financial literacy and entrepreneurship skills through the Girl Scout Cookie Program. Revenue from the Girl Scout Cookie Program maintains GSKWR property and provides programming on four camp properties, provides financial assistance to more than 2,500 girls, training to nearly 4,000 volunteers, and other Girl Scout activities throughout the year.

To purchase cases of cookies with a $250 minimum, go to www.gskentucky.org/cookie-relief or, contact Tammy Durham, Director of Grants and Community Partnerships, at tdurham@gswrc.org.