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An Overview

Girl Scouts

Grounded in the Girl Scout Promise and Law, Girl Scouting is a non-formal, experiential, and cooperative education program that promotes girls' personal growth and leadership development. Partnering with caring adults, girls design fun and challenging activities that empower them to discover new things, connect with others, and take action by raising their voices within a local, national and global sisterhood.

Girl Scouts of the USA (GSUSA)

Girl Scouts of the USA is the preeminent organization for and leading authority on girls. Founded in 1912 by Juliette Gordon Low, a woman of great vision and spirit, Girl Scouts of the USA’s membership has grown from 18 members in Savannah, Georgia, to 3.7 million members throughout the United States, including U.S. territories, and in more than 90 countries through USA Girl Scouts Overseas. GSUSA was chartered by the United States Congress in 1950, and is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization.

GSUSA oversees the development of all national program materials, including handbooks, badges and the new Girl Scout Journeys. It also provides the framework from which local Girl Scout councils operate, advising on issues of safety, best practices, governance, and operational structures.

WAGGGS

Through membership in the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts, GSUSA is part of a worldwide family of 10 million girls and adults in 145 countries.

Girl Scouts of Greater Chicago and Northwest Indiana

GSUSA charters local councils to ensure that all girls within a geographic region have the opportunity to benefit from the Girl Scout Leadership Experience.

Girl Scouts of Greater Chicago and Northwest Indiana launched on July 1, 2008, after seven independent local councils merged. It is now the largest Girl Scout council in the country. Our nearly 94,000 girl members and 24,000 adult volunteers reside in 245 communities in six Illinois counties (Cook, DuPage, Grundy, Kankakee, Lake, and Will) and four Indiana counties (Jasper, Lake, Newton, and Porter).