Girl Scout Cookie season begins; contact-free, Grubhub delivery offered

PORTLAND, Ore. (KTVZ) -- Girl Scouts of Oregon and Southwest Washington and Girl Scouts of the USA kicked off the 2021 Girl Scout Cookie season nationally on Tuesday, during a challenging time when many Girl Scouts are selling in creative, socially distant and contact-free ways to keep themselves and their customers safe.

Even in light of the COVID-19 pandemic, girls are adapting their sales methods to share the joy of Girl Scout Cookies through the largest girl-led entrepreneurship program in the world—including taking contact-free pickup and delivery orders through a new national collaboration with Grubhub.

Additionally, GSUSA is making online cookie ordering available nationwide on Feb. 1, so consumers who don’t know a Girl Scout can still purchase cookies from a local troop for direct shipment to their homes or donation to local organizations.

Innovative Girl-led Sales Methods

The Girl Scout Cookie Program has long taught girls how to run a business via in-person booths, door-to-door activity, and the Digital Cookie® platform online, which GSUSA launched in 2014. With the unique challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, girls are adapting their sales methods. From virtual cookie booths to contact-free delivery to facilitating direct-ship orders, girls as young as five years old are embracing their entrepreneurial spirits, staying connected to their communities, and having fun by participating in the cookie program. The proceeds from each and every Girl Scout Cookie purchase stay local with the troop and its council to power Girl Scouts’ essential leadership programming.

“The cookie program has always given girls one-of-a-kind opportunities to build valuable skills like goal setting and money management. This year, they get to add resilience and innovation to that list,” says Karen Hill, CEO of Girl Scouts of Oregon and Southwest Washington. “We are partnering with our dedicated volunteers and Girl Scout families to ensure girls can participate and reach their goals safely, while making it easier than ever for customers to purchase their favorites.”

“It’s inspiring,” says Victoria Foreman, Director of Product Sales for Girl Scouts of Oregon and Southwest Washington. “Girls are developing a strong sense of self by participating, learning skills to succeed today and in the future. I’m so impressed by how they problem solve, manage setbacks and reimagine their plan to build their cookie businesses.”

This year, Girl Scouts is also providing new cookie badge program materials to support girls as they run their cookie business online and via social media, helping them be best equipped to sell during these times.

Online Ordering Available Nationwide February 1

GSUSA is making it possible for all consumers nationwide who don’t already know a Girl Scout to purchase Girl Scout Cookies online for shipment to their door. Beginning February 1, customers can enter their zip code into the Girl Scout Cookie Finder to find a local troop to purchase from through the Digital Cookie platform for direct shipment or donation to local organizations. This additional contact-free method supports local girls while keeping their safety and skill building top of mind.

Though social distancing measures may keep families and friends apart, cookie customers can share joy and stay connected this season through a gift-box option that ships directly to others via the Digital Cookie platform.

Ordering Now Available Through Delivery Platform Grubhub

This season, GSOSW is participating in a national collaboration with food ordering and delivery platform Grubhub so girls have an additional way to facilitate contact-free cookie orders. In select areas—including Portland, Eugene and Medford—consumers can order Girl Scout Cookies for pickup or delivery on Grubhub.com or the Grubhub app. A hands-on experience in managing e-commerce, local Girl Scouts will track and fulfill orders, manage inventory, and more, all using Grubhub’s back-end technology. This method will be available in select areas beginning February 19. As always, the proceeds benefit the troop and council while providing another innovative way to safely run the cookie program virtually. GSUSA is grateful to Grubhub for waiving all fees for the organization to make this new delivery option feasible for sales without reducing troops’ and councils’ proceeds.

How to Safely Purchase Girl Scout Cookies This Season

Girl Scout Cookie season in Oregon and SW Washington runs now through March 14, 2021. Consumers can support Girl Scouts by purchasing Thin Mints®, Tagalongs®, Trefoils® and other favorites in a few different ways:

• If you know a Girl Scout, reach out to her to find out how she’s selling cookies in ways that meet local and state safety protocols.
• Beginning February 1, enter your zip code into the Girl Scout Cookie Finder at www.girlscoutcookies.org to purchase from a local Girl Scout troop online for shipment to your door or to donate cookies to first responders and local causes.
• Beginning February 19, visit www.grubhub.com/food/girl_scouts to order via contact-free delivery from Grubhub in select areas, including Portland, Eugene, Medford. Availability may vary based on location.

ABOUT THE GIRL SCOUT COOKIE PROGRAM

A little more than a century ago, Girl Scouts began participating in what would evolve into the largest girl-led entrepreneurial program in the world: the Girl Scout Cookie Program. The program helps girls fund life-changing experiences and learning for themselves and their troops all year long, while gaining valuable life skills like goal setting, decision making, money management, people skills and business ethics. To learn more about the history of the Girl Scout Cookie Program, please visit girlscoutcookies.org.

ABOUT GIRL SCOUTS OF OREGON AND SOUTHWEST WASHINGTON

In partnership with more than 6,500 adult members, Girl Scouts of Oregon and Southwest Washington prepares more than 11,500 girls in grades K-12 for a lifetime of leadership, adventure and success. GSOSW’s programs in civic engagement, financial literacy, the outdoors and STEM serve girls in 35 counties in Oregon, and Clark, Klickitat and Skamania counties in Southwest Washington. The Girl Scout mission is to build girls of courage, confidence and character, who make the world a better place. For more information, please visit girlscoutsosw.org.