For the Tomahawk Leader

WISCONSIN – The Girl Scouts of the Northwestern Great Lakes (GSNWGL) and Girl Scouts of the USA (GSUSA) last week kicked off their 2021 Cookie Season.

“Girl Scouts are stepping up to the challenge and selling in creative, socially distant, and contact-free ways to keep themselves and their customers safe,” a release from GSNWGL stated. “Even in light of the COVID-19 pandemic, girls are adapting their sales methods to share the joy of Girl Scout Cookies through the largest girl-led entrepreneurship program—including taking contact-free pickup and delivery orders through a new national collaboration with Grubhub. Additionally, GSUSA is making online cookie ordering available nationwide on Feb. 1 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.”

New cookie for 2021 season

A new cookie is available for the 2021 season.

The new French toast-inspired Toast-Yay!™ cookie is “dipped in delicious icing and full of flavor in every bite.”

“Each delightful, toast-shaped cookie is full of French toast flavor and flair and stamped with the trusted Girl Scouts’ signature trefoil on top,” GSNWGL said. “Toast-Yay! gives consumers a new way to celebrate moments of joy alongside other favorites, like Thin Mints® and Caramel deLites®.”

Innovative girl-led sales methods

Girl Scouts are continuing to “embrace their entrepreneurial spirits, stay connected to their communities, and have fun by participating in the cookie program.”

“The Girl Scout Cookie season is almost here, and we’re already seeing how our Girl Scouts are using the skills they’ve learned from participating in the Girl Scout Cookie Program,” said Helen Wronski, Interim CEO of GSNWGL. “They’re planning, preparing, setting goals, and making decisions on how to be successful entrepreneurs amid the challenges they face due to the pandemic.”

This year, Girl Scouts is also providing new materials as part of their 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 Feb. 1

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 Feb. 1, 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,” GSNWGL stated. “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.

Ordering through Grubhub available soon

This season, Girl Scouts of the Northwestern Great Lakes is participating in a national collaboration with food ordering and delivery platform Grubhub so girls have an additional way to facilitate contact-free cookie orders.

On March 6, 2021, consumers in select areas throughout northern Wisconsin can order Girl Scout Cookies for pickup or delivery on www.Grubhub.com or the Grubhub app.

“A hands-on experience in managing e-commerce, local Girl Scouts will track and fulfill orders, manage inventory, and more, all using Gubhub’s back-end technology,” GSNWGL said. “As always, the proceeds benefit the troop and council while providing another innovative way to safely run the cookie program virtually. GSUSA is grateful to Grubhub for waiving all fees for the organization to make this new delivery option feasible for sales without reducing troops’ and councils’ proceeds.”

How to safely purchase Girl Scout cookies this season

Girl Scout Cookie season at Girl Scouts of the Northwestern Great Lakes began Friday, Jan. 22 and runs until April 4. Consumers can support Girl Scouts by purchasing Girl Scout S’mores®, Thin Mints®, Caramel deLites®, Peanut Butter Patties®, Shortbread, Peanut Butter Sandwich, Toast-Yay!™, Lemonades™ or the gluten-free Caramel Chocolate Chip 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 protocols.
• 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 available in your area.
• Visit www.grubhub.com/food/girl_scouts to order via contact-free delivery or pick-up from Grubhub, available at select areas throughout northern Wisconsin beginning March 6.
• Keep any eye out for Girl Scout Cookie booths – they may be virtual, drive-through, or at local businesses.
• Beginning Feb. 1, 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.