Community Focus
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Council Service Projects
Here, Girl Scouts, leaders, and families can discover upcoming council-led service opportunities and learn how to take action in their own communities.
We also offer monthly info sessions to help Girl Scouts explore how to start a service project or work toward earning the prestigious Service Bar. Community service is a core part of the Girl Scout movement, empowering girls to make a lasting impact, build leadership skills, and create meaningful change where it matters most.
Want to learn more about commuity service? Attend a virtual info session.
Join us every second Tuesday of the month to learn more about upcoming community service opportunities.
Building My Community 
Participate in our brand new patch program – Building My Community! Take the time to get to know your community and work alongside them on a service project (or projects!) to beautify your community and raise awareness.
Take Action Project Resources
In order to complete a Girl Scout Journey, you must do a Take Action Project. Use these resources to help you!
Take Action Project Resource for Girl Scout Daisies, Brownies, and Juniors [PDF]
Take Action Project Resource for Girl Scout Cadettes, Seniors, and Ambassadors [PDF]
Take Action Guide for Volunteers [PDF]
Register for our brand new take-action workshop on November 4.
A Heart for the Homeless
There are currently over 72K residents in DuPage County living in poverty and 10.5% are children. The goal of this service project is to raise awareness and show how one person can make a big difference.
Through an interactive curriculum and possible volunteer or service projects you will be able to gain a better understanding of what it means to be homeless and how you can help make a difference. This patch program is open to Girl Scouts in any location.
Cuddle Comfort
Create small, cuddly pillows or lap blankets as welcome gifts for pediatric patients, senior citizens, homeless shelters and emergency rooms. We have instructions for how to make these items, as well as potential drop-off locations.
Cancer Survivor Kits
Have you known someone affected by cancer and wondered how you could make a difference? Help people battling cancer by collecting a few simple items in a small tote bag; chemo patients will know the small difference you made! Once your items are collected and your kits are assembled, you can drop them off at your nearest cancer support center. We have instructions for how to make these items, as well as potential drop-off locaitons.
Sweet Connections: Valentine's Day
Create Valentines and door decorations (hangers) to brighten the days of people you know or people in a local assisted living facility. We even have Valentine templates you can use!
Dragonfly Patch Program
Discover, connect, and take action today with the Dragonfly Patch Program! Girls will learn all about gratitude, empathy, kindness and leadership, and how to make the world a better place through words and service.
Dragonfly Patch Program [PDF]
Special Gifts Theatre Peer Mentors
Share Your Own Service Story
We love to know about the service projects you or your troop are completing within your communities. Tell us your story and you might be featured in a GCNWI publication!
SHARE YOUR STORYOffer a Service Opportunity for Girl Scouts
Please email jhickman@girlscoutsgcnwi.org if you are an organization with service opportunities for Girl Scouts or would like to share a service opportunity.
Service Bars
Girl Scout Cadettes, Seniors and Ambassadors who are passionate about giving back can earn service bars. The Community Service Bar and the Service to Girl Scouting Bar each require a minimum of 20 hours of service to one organization or Girl Scout activity/troop.
Community Service Bar
Service to Girl Scouting Bar
National Service Projects
Promote the Vote Service Project
National Civic Action:
Promote the Vote
What do you want the future to look like? Who will lead us as we work to bring it to life? That’s up to you—but only if you vote! Voting is the process by which people cast ballots to choose leaders or decide on important issues. It’s a way to show what you believe in and make sure your voice is included in decision-making. You might not be old enough to vote—yet—but you’re never too young to learn about this process and to get your friends, family, and community involved.
We’re lucky to be living in a time where this type of civic engagement is possible. For a long time, women and people of color in the U.S. weren’t allowed to vote. It has taken hundreds of years of advocacy to change that. The 19th Amendment of 1920 allowed women the right to vote, and the Voting Rights Act of 1965 guaranteed voting access to people of color. However, barriers to voting still exist. There’s work to be done—and Girl Scouts can play a part!
That’s what Promote the Vote is all about. When you join in, you’ll encourage potential voters to go to the ballot box. You’ll show them how and when to register to vote, where to find key information, how to educate themselves on candidates and issues, how to make a voting plan, and more. Simple steps and easy-to-follow templates guide you through the process. Promote the Vote with Girl Scouts and help shape your tomorrow—today!
Here's how your Girl Scout troop can promote the vote:
- Discuss the importance and history of voting with your troop. Talk about why voting is our most important civic duty and how you can increase voting access and encourage others to vote, even if you are too young to vote yourself.
- Browse VOTE411 to see and understand the many voting support tools available to the public.
- Reach out to people in your community to provide information about state-specific elections, deadlines, and rules; how to register to vote or check your registration; how to request an absentee ballot; what’s on the ballot in an upcoming election; how to look up and/or contact your election officials about issues you care about; and how to make a voting plan.
- Reach out to educate your community around voting. Use these templates to script your outreach efforts.
- Take action by setting specific, measurable goals for how you will participate in this election cycle (write a letter to an elected official, talk to family members about their voting plan, help someone register to vote, etc.). Keep track of your progress.
- Register or preregister to vote, depending on your age and what your state allows.
- Spread the word on your favorite social media apps. Research shows if you persuade one person to vote, that person will likely influence at least one friend or family member to vote, too! If you promote voting online, be sure to tag us: @girlscouts and if you use VOTE411, be sure to also tag @VOTE411.
- Complete this Girl Scout survey to tell us about your troop’s impact.
- Boost your civic engagement by earning your Civics or Citizen badge.
For more voting information, check out: VOTE411.org/girlscouts
Working with the League of Women Voters (LWV) to Promote the Vote
GSUSA and the LWV have long histories of empowering girls, advocating for civil rights, and advancing policies that support girls and women. Our organizations are excited to work together nationally and locally to provide Girl Scouts with more opportunities to learn about and engage with civics, voting, and democracy.
Please check out our Collaboration Guide for guidance on working with your local League to support your troop’s participation in Promote the Vote and other Girl Scout badges and activities.
Girl Scouts’ 2024 Promote the Vote materials were produced with support from the League of Women Voters Education Fund, a 501(C)(3) nonpartisan organization that works to register and provide voters with election information through its election resource VOTE411.org.
Resources
- Instructions for troop leaders (PDF).
- Instructions to share with Girl Scouts (PDF).
- Templates to use for outreach (PDF).
- Guide for local Girl Scouts & League of Women Voters Collaborations (PDF).
Tell us about your project
Girl Scouts is a § 501(c)(3) tax exempt organization. We do not take sides in elections or support or oppose any political candidates. Promote the Vote is a nonpolitical and nonpartisan initiative designed to increase civic participation and is not linked to any political party or to individuals on any one side of an issue. We encourage all citizens, regardless of political party, affiliation, or beliefs, to participate in the democratic process.
Honoring Changemakers Service Project
Girl Scouts Give Back:
Honoring our Everyday Changemakers
Small acts of kindness and gratitude can have an incredible impact on your community! And through this national service project, inspired by the Becoming Me program series, Girl Scouts can pay it forward by recognizing the people in their communities who have supported them in finding their unique paths.
Here’s how you can take part:
- Think about the people who support and inspire you. They might be teachers, parents, or any individuals serving your community and supporting others. Talk about why it’s important that we honor people who support us. Use our discussion guide to help you get started,
- Once you’ve decided on one person you’d like to honor, decide how you (and your troop) will show your gratitude. You could write a letter to tell the person what their support has meant to you or you could support a cause they champion—check out the discussion guide (PDF) for more ways to give thanks.
- Reflect on the experience of recognizing this person. How did it feel for you? How did they react? Were your actions responded to by others in your community? How so?
Once your troop has completed the service project, remember to:
- Inspire others to give back. Post a photo of your project on social media using the hashtag #GirlScoutsGiveBack. Be sure to tag @girlscouts too.
- Complete a survey so your troop’s impact can be counted in our national service project documentation.
Resources
Instructions for troop leaders (PDF)
Tell us about your project
Fighting Hunger Service Project
National Service Project:
Fighting Hunger
More than 50 million adults, kids, and families in the U.S. are experiencing food insecurity, a number that has only increased since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic and may include members of our own communities, friends and family, or members of our troops, making this a sensitive and important take action issue for Girl Scouts.
As they think about how to give back this holiday season, Girl Scouts can make a big difference in their communities—and for children around the world—by supporting hunger relief efforts. There are lots of ways for your troop to make an impact, whether you’re meeting safely in person or virtually and even if you aren’t able to give food directly:
(Hint: check out our detailed troop leader instructions (PDF) for helpful tips for each project.)
- Support a food drive in your community or organize your own (DOC).
- Thank a Food Bank Hero. Write to a Food Bank Hero to show your troop’s appreciation and send encouragement for the hard and vital work they do. Mail your handwritten notes to your local food bank.
- Volunteer at a drive-thru food distribution program if there are COVID-safe options with local food banks in your area. (And if your troop is old enough.)
Once your troop has completed this service project, remember to:
- Inspire others to give back. Post a photo of your project to your social networks using the hashtag #GirlScoutsGiveBack. Be sure to tag @girlscouts too.
- Complete a survey so your troop’s impact can be counted in our national service projects.
- To recognize your troop’s participation with a patch, try this Girl Scouts Give Back patch.
Resources
- Instructions for Troop Leaders (PDF)
- Guidance for Conducting a Food Drive (PDF)
- Food Drive Toolkit (DOC)
Tell us about your project
Citizen Science Service Project
Letter Writing Service Project
Girl Scouts Give Back:
Letter-Writing Service Project
The idea is simple: girls write letters to people in nursing homes, senior residences, and assisted living facilities, including the dedicated staff and caregivers. This long-distance hug is a way to share your good thoughts with these vulnerable and loved community members.
Here’s how it works:
Ask your girls (and their friends!) to write letters to senior and caretakers using our tips (PDF).
You can mail letters to one of the facilities (PDF) or reach out to a local assisted living center and find out how they would like to receive your troop’s letters. You could collect and deliver them (using no-contact practices), have girls mail them individually, or even deliver them via email. Don’t forget to include a note to tell the staff about the letters you’re sending (DOC).
Take a picture of your letter packet and post it to your social media networks using #GirlScoutsGiveBack (and be sure to tag us @girlscouts).
Don't forget to come back here and log the number of letters to add them to the national campaign! Let’s see how many letters of love and care our Movement can send!
To recognize your troop’s participation with a patch, check out this Girl Scouts Give Back patch.
Resources
Instructions for troop leaders. (PDF)
Tell us about your project
Girl Scouts Pick Up The Parks
