Philanthropy Focus: A Visit to Girl Scouts Central
On my recent visit to New York City, on an afternoon with a bit of downtime, I stopped by Girl Scout Central, which I’d been told is a “must-see” destination for all things Girl Scouts in the city. This stop did not disappoint!
Located just outside of the Girl Scouts of the USA national headquarters, the shop is home to an array of Girl Scouts merchandise, scout gear, and several interactive experiences. If you’re ever in the area, I’d recommend visiting for the Historical Experience feature of the store, a miniature museum, where you can see vintage uniforms, cookie boxes, and learn more about how the Girl Scouts began.
My favorite part of the experiential retail visit was the SWAP Wall. A unique Girl Scout tradition, SWAPS (Special Whatchamacallits Affectionately Pinned Somewhere) have, for decades, allowed girls to share something meaningful of themselves with other Girl Scouts. I could not resist leaving a few of my own handcrafted surprises for future visitors—PXG-inspired, of course!
The longstanding relationship The Bob & Renee Parsons Foundation has had with our local Girl ScoutsArizona Cactus-Pine Council back home in AZ is one in which I take great pride. It’s been a passion of mine to apply a gender lens to our philanthropy, to better understand how we can improve outcomes for women and girls. With less than 2% of philanthropic funding in the US going to organizations that support women and girls, there is no time to waste in moving the needle toward gender equity. This is just one of the reasons I have been and will continue to support organizations, like Girl Scouts, that are teaching and inspiring the next generation of female leaders.
Thank you, Girl Scouts, for the uplifting dose of inspiration and learning!