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NEW ORLEANS — This week, Girl Scouts Louisiana East and Girl Scouts of the USA  kick off the 2022 Girl Scout Cookie season nationally, 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 ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, girls are adapting their sales methods to share the joy of Girl Scout Cookies through the largest girl-led entrepreneurship program. Additionally, GSUSA is making online cookie ordering available nationwide on Friday, Jan. 14 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. When the COVID-19 pandemic hit in the middle of the 2020, girls in southeast Louisiana were inspired to act by hosting canned food drives, sewing masks for their communities and donating cookies to frontline workers. This year, girls as young as five years old are continuing to embrace their entrepreneurial spirits, stay connected to their communities and have fun by participating in the cookie program. Furthermore, the proceeds from each and every purchase stay local with the troop and its council to power Girl Scouts’ essential leadership programming.

“Our Girl Scout Cookie sellers had a strong year in 2021, in spite of the Covid-19 pandemic. Love for Girl Scout Cookies remained strong, and we anticipate an even better year in 2022. Our Girl Scouts are excited to continue engaging girl-powered and innovative approaches to the cookie program. We hope our communities will support their local Girl Scouts with the same energy and excitement as they have in years past,” said Rebecca Pennington, CEO of Girl Scouts Louisiana East.

This year, Girl Scouts is also providing new materials as part of its cookie badge program 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 Friday, Jan. 14

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 Friday, Jan. 14, 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.

This year, Girl Scouts Louisiana East will offer the new Adventurefuls™ cookie, an indulgent, brownie-inspired cookie topped with caramel-flavored crème and a hint of sea salt. Adventurefuls give consumers a new and delicious option while also enjoying favorites like Thin Mints® and Caramel deLites®. And 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.

How to Safely Purchase Girl Scout Cookies This Season

Girl Scout Cookie season is recognized in Girl Scouts Louisiana East from Friday, Jan. 14 through Sunday, Mar. 13. Consumers can support Girl Scouts by purchasing Thin Mints®, Peanut Butter Patties®, Shortbread®, and more in a few different ways:

· If you know a registered Girl Scout, reach out to her to find out how she’s selling cookies in ways that meet local and state safety protocols. Girls will be taking preorders starting Friday, Jan.14, by sharing personalized URLs with friends and family through email and social media.

· If you don’t know a Girl Scout, visit www.girlscoutcookies.org, text COOKIES to 59618 (message and data rates may apply. Text STOPGS for STOP, HELPGS for help), or use the official Girl Scout Cookie Finder app for free on iOS or Android devices to find socially distant or contact-free cookie booths if they are available in your area.

· Girl Scouts Louisiana East is grateful to local businesses for opening space outside their retail locations for Girl Scouts to sell cookies in a safe and socially distant manner, when allowed by local COVID-19 guidelines.

· Beginning Friday, Jan. 14, 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.