United impact: Girl Scouts of Southern Illinois

Girl Scouts don’t need to grow up to start leading. They’re changing the world right now. At Girl Scouts of Southern Illinois, we are witnessing this every single day – and none of this could be possible without the generous support of our local community.

Girl Scouts began in 1912 when Juliette Gordon Low phoned her cousin and proclaimed, “I’ve got something for the girls of Savannah, and all of America, and all the world, and we’re going to start it tonight!”

From that first gathering of 18 girls in Georgia, Girl Scouts has grown to nearly 2 million current members nationwide.

At Girl Scouts of Southern Illinois, we serve approximately 10,000 of those members – nearly 6,400 girl members and over 3,600 adults.

“Our mission states that Girl Scouting builds girls of courage, confidence, and character, who make the world a better place,” said Loretta Graham, CEO. “These aren’t just words for us. This is the core of our being. We want girls – ALL girls – to build the skills they need to change and the world.”

At Girl Scouts of Southern Illinois, girls in the 40-county coverage area can explore STEM programming, discover the outdoors, build life skills, and become entrepreneurs through a variety of in-person, virtual, and at-your-own-pace programs. No girl is turned away from Girl Scouting due to her family’s inability to pay. Generous opportunity funds are available so that every girl can discover, connect, and take action. We are here to champion girl ambition.

“United Way of Greater St. Louis is an integral partner of ours to ensure our mission is reaching as many girls as possible,” said Heidi Koehl Weaver, director of Development. “From financial assistance, to volunteer training, to program development, to property enhancements, support from United Way of Greater St. Louis helps us bring the best possible Girl Scout Leadership Experience to all our members.”

Part of making Girl Scouting available to all girls is offering the program in ways that work for every girl. Girls can join a troop or participate as a Juliette (an individually registered Girl Scout). Plus, Girl Scouts of Southern Illinois has a robust Community Outreach program that serves nearly 1,500 girls in East St. Louis, Madison, Collinsville, and Cahokia Heights. This program provides an opportunity for girls to participate in Girl Scouting during the school day, allowing girls to benefit from this experience who would otherwise not have the opportunity to do so.

“Our Community Outreach program is celebrating 40 years of serving girls in the Metro East,” said Graham. “Seeing girls gain confidence, build skills, and set career goals they previously thought weren’t possible – there’s no better feeling.”

Beginning in January, Girl Scouts will participate in the iconic Girl Scout Cookie Program. Not only do Girl Scouts build their entrepreneurial skills during this time, but they also raise funds to bring their adventures to life throughout the year. From taking a trip to Space Camp, to spearheading a local community service project and everything in between, the Girl Scout Cookie Program fuels girl experiences that make them great leaders.

At Girl Scouts of Southern Illinois, we also recognize the vital role adult volunteers play in achieving our organization’s mission.

Our robust summer camp program not only provides day and overnight camp options that are facilitated by staff, but it also offers many day camp opportunities throughout our council that are organized and ran solely by volunteers.

Volunteers are also instrumental in bringing the troop experience to life for girls and provide opportunities for them to make memories, discover new skills and interests, and build lifelong connections. Girl Scouts of Southern Illinois is committed to supporting our adult members through training, networking, and recognition opportunities.

Girl Scouting is open to girls in grades K-12 and anyone over the age of 18 (as an adult member or volunteer). Members can join at any time! Experiences are happening all year round and can be explored on our event calendar at gsofsi.org/events.

Your donation to United Way helps local nonprofit agencies like Girl Scouts of Southern Illinois provide critical support to those who need it most.

Give today at helpingpeople.org/2025-Campaign.

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[Editor’s note: This is one of 20 United Way funded partner agencies being featured by the Illinois Business Journal through Thanksgiving as a part of its 2025 Giving Guide. The purpose of this third annual IBJ Spotlight is to encourage readers to consider supporting these agencies as a part of their holiday and year-end giving. The 2025 Giving Guide is sponsored by the Illinois Business Journal in partnership with United Way of Greater St. Louis.]