You might have quoted Britney Spears’ recently-sold music catalogue, saying, “Oops, I did it again” while purchasing Girl Scout cookies. Yet, many families repeat that sentiment long after cookie season, faced with the financial burden of unsold cookies.
The Girl Scout cookie program brings undue financial risk to families and troops trying to align with Girl Scouts of the USA’s goals.
One troop, in Southern California, sells cookies despite being deprived of their 2021 proceeds for five years. The program has troops check out cookies, then deposit funds throughout the sales season. The regional Girl Scout Council withdraws a percentage of income at set intervals (roughly $4 per $5 box at the time). When two families took cookies and didn’t turn in funds, the troop was required to cover the cost of those cookies: $1,335. This surpassed all other troop proceeds, so that year’s program costs had to be fronted by the leaders.
As that troop’s co-leader, Thin Mints now taste less sweet to my palate.
True, the program develops entrepreneurial skills that will help future careers. Kids stand taller at booths as confidence grows. However, when shortfalls are the troop’s responsibility, they may learn that their work does not result in all of the intended benefits. The kids’ voices and efforts should be worth more than the dollars they raise.
Local councils run the cookie programs via various policies. That’s why people can be unfairly penalized when others don’t follow through.
In February, I anonymously asked Girl Scout leaders whether they had experience with non-paying families. A Facebook group of 44,000 members across the U.S. had 41 respondents who experienced non-paying families: 61% said their financial responsibility was waived, 32% were told the troop had to pay the council and/or pursue repayment, and 7% had the troop and council share the cost.
One council limited their own liability to $300. Another told a troop to hire a lawyer. Some leaders submitted council-requested paperwork, but received no update. One leader has been waiting 13 years.
The councils also take on risk with cookie sales, as they commit to selling cases that are then distributed to troops. But if those cases don’t get distributed, they can often be sold via offices or storefronts.
Yes, families should be held to their sales commitment. That’s what happens with other fundraising, but in those models the responsibility is already baked in. During many fall product programs, payment for nuts, magazines, and other products is taken upfront, and orders delivered in bulk to troops for distribution after sales end.
For the two families who left without paying, I wonder what happened: Did they need grocery money? A flood ruin the product? How would they react if we crossed paths?
Let me be clear: Girl Scouts is not required. People can leave the program at any time. But asking families to take on financial strain to participate in an extracurricular activity seems out of place with the promise of “being a sister to every Girl Scout.” When resolution is delayed during pursuit of entrepreneurship skills, the objective of training up girls of courage, confidence, and character is challenged.
Our troop’s resolution came after five years of emails and calls. I shared documentation of steps we took with the families and council staff. But – largely due to staff turnover – it took more than 25 points of contact with council to recoup the funds.
There is some discussion on council levels about ways to modify the model to reduce financial risk on all sides. But, as those ideas are being considered, families encounter the same risk year after year.
Sales fund troop activities from patches to arts and crafts supplies. My troop has shown immense generosity, having twice used their proceeds for a canned food drive. No doubt, my own childhood Scouting experience contributed to my character, and many change-making women have been Girl Scouts, such as Michelle Obama, Taylor Swift, Sally Ride, Dolores Huerta, and Reese Witherspoon. This is the type of character the program is meant to build.
Girl Scout Councils should change policies to remove financial burden from volunteers; Rather, the councils should communicate a consistent, step-by-step plan to provide support when this happens. And when challenges arise, communication should go both ways.
Thankfully, the 10 kids who worked during a pandemic-era cookie season, will now be able to enjoy the sweet rewards of their labor, rather than have their sales cover families that didn’t pay. Shared responsibility will be learned soon enough. Let’s not push that responsibility onto 6- to 8-year-olds (now pre-teens and teens), forcing them to spend five years wondering what happened to their efforts.
At publication time, the Girl Scouts of the USA press room had not responded to multiple requests for comment.