Bringing the Girl Scout experience to girls in the NYC Shelter System

Troop 6000^TM is a Girl Scout program specially designed to serve girls in the New York City Shelter System.

Our long-term goal is to expand this program across New York City so that each week, Girl Scouts will meet in shelters across the city. Meetings will be led by trained troop leaders.

We invite you to help us ensure that girls and women in the New York City Shelter System have the opportunity to enjoy all that Girl Scouting has to offer.

The big idea for girls

At Girl Scouts of Greater New York, we are motivated by a powerful mission to build girls of courage, confidence, and character who make the world a better place.

However, for girls living in the New York City Shelter System, Girl Scouting has the potential to provide much more:

• Girl Scouting means consistency – a weekly meeting where girls know they'll learn, try new things, and have fun.
• Girl Scouting means community – a network of girls and supportive adults who, even if they’ve never met before, are part of the same club.

The big idea for women

As leaders of a Girl Scout troop, women are empowered to take control. Troop leaders serve as teachers and mentors to the girls in their troop. They are responsible for planning activities, managing resources and time during meetings, and helping when girls have questions.

Training to be a troop leader helps women develop skills in communication, organization, presentation, and more.

Transition Initiative

The New York City Shelter System is meant to provide temporary, emergency housing for families. The average stay for a family in a city shelter is 18 months. When families transition out of the shelter and move into permanent housing, it takes time for them to get back on their feet and achieve financial stability.

To help facilitate a successful transition from shelter to housing, it is essential that girls are enabled to stay connected to the community and opportunities introduced to them through joining Girls Scouts and Troop 6000^TM, and that they receive financial support that allows them to do so.

Therefore, we established a Transitional Programming Initiative as a permanent facet of the Troop 6000^TM program, to ensure girls and their moms continue to have access to Girl Scouting and the community, consistency, fun, and learning it provides.

The bottom line

Research has shown that Girl Scout alumnae have a stronger sense of self, achieve higher levels of education, and are more likely to reach a higher socio-economic status.

Every girl in the five boroughs of New York City deserves a chance to reach her full potential: to have her eyes opened to possibilities for college and careers, to make loving and supportive friends, to learn from caring female mentors, and to chart her own course to achieve her goals. 

That’s what Troop 6000^TM is all about. 

To learn more or to partner with us, please contact makeadifference@girlscoutsnyc.org.