Unprecedented philanthropic gift to spur mission
at Girl Scouts – Arizona Cactus-Pine Council
Staff Reports | Digital Free Press
Girl Scouts–Arizona Cactus-Pine Council is announcing a $2.8 million donation from philanthropist MacKenzie Scott.
This local gift is part of an $84.5 million donation awarded to Girl Scouts of the USA and 29 local councils selected by Ms. Scott, making this unprecedented investment the largest donation from a single individual in the national organization’s history, according to a press release.
Locally, this gift will expand access to Girl Scout programming across central and northern Arizona, including the Navajo Nation. Girl Scouts of Southern Arizona received a separate gift to support its local jurisdiction, the release states.
“We are extremely grateful to MacKenzie Scott for her generous investment in girls. Her gift intentionally acknowledges the needs of girls and women whose causes are traditionally underrepresented due to disparities in giving,” said Mary Mitchell, co-CEO of GSACPC, in a prepared statement. “With the challenges facing girls today, investing in their futures is critical. Her support will expand our local programming to help girls in our community reach their maximum potential.”
Christina Spicer, co-CEO of GSACPC, echoed a similar sentiment.
“It is an honor to be stewards of this incredible gift as it solidifies how strongly our community recognizes Girl Scouts as the premiere organization serving girls,” she said “Every day, we help girls discover their untapped potential and watch them become the leaders our community needs, so when philanthropists like MacKenzie Scott invests in a girl-led future, it changes the world.”
MacKenzie Scott is the former wife of Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, and, according to online sources, has a net worth of more than $33 billion, owing to a 4% stake in Amazon.
The mission at Girl Scouts-Arizona Cactus-Pine Council
This gift to Girl Scouts-Arizona Cactus-Pine Council, officials there say, will empower leadership opportunities for girls through the advancement of the organization’s mission, expand its impact and advance the organization’s recovery from the effects of COVID-19. The support allows GSACPC to:
Expand access to Girl Scout programming across central and northern Arizona that reflect a girl’s cultural needs and lived experiences. This includes innovation around older girls, a Mobile Building Space to travel across the jurisdiction, and an investment in current delivery models that will help attract and retain girls.
Create more equitable membership opportunities in communities that have been under-engaged. This includes diversity equity inclusion and racial justice initiatives, reimagining the troop experience model to break down accessibility barriers and partnering with families and communities to holistically support the wellbeing and development of all girls.
Other goals include sustain membership retention and growth by investing in volunteer systems, new models for member support staff, and enhancing council-led support around the cookie program, the release states.
Nationally, this donation will fund rebound growth opportunities stemming from the impact of COVID-19, build upon GSUSA’s vision to empower all Girl Scouts and its more than 700,000 volunteers as they pursue their dreams and accelerate movement-wide initiatives that give girls the tools to become the next generation of powerful female leaders.
In partnership with 6,500 adult volunteers, GSACPC serves over 11,000 girls grades K-12 in more than 90 communities across central and northern Arizona. Since 1936, GSACPC has helped girls develop leadership skills and tools for success in a rapidly changing environment. With 111 councils nationwide, GSUSA has a presence in every zip code.
Each new investment enables Girl Scouts to become a unifier at the broadest level, harnessing the leadership skills of generations to come and ensuring a future that is inclusive, empathetic, united and equitable.
