Cookie Program Community Service Project

Image of GSSNE staff presenting a large check to a representative of Youth Pride Inc

Each year, Girl Scouts of Southeastern New England selects a local organization to be the recipient of our annual Cookie Program Community Service Project. As part of the Cookie Program, Girl Scouts can learn about the work that these great organizations do and they are given the opportunity to support this organization by volunteering their time. Girl Scouts can also choose to donate a portion of their cookie proceeds to support the Community Service Project organization. It is a great opportunity to learn about the importance of giving back to their communities!

2026 Cookie Program Community Service Project

The 2026 service project recipient will be the Glimmer of Hope Foundation. Glimmer of Hope Foundation is a 501c(3) nonprofit organization that shows girls and boys their strength and beauty through the donation of bald dolls and provides HOPE to families battling childhood cancer.

To make the world a less scary place for children battling cancer, they sponsor and donate dolls and bald dolls to better help children feel represented and confident during their journey.
A magical day for a group of girls battling cancer. The Best Day Ever features: hair and makeup services, a gift basket, a catered lunch, crafts, a princess dress and a doll in a matching princess dress, followed by a professional photoshoot at a magical location!
To help heal a broken heart, Glimmer of Hope creates bereavement boxes for families they have served after their child has passed. They partner with Spencer Welch Studios to send watercolor portraits of each child as part of each box.

This year, we will be accepting donations online. Any troop that donates $50 or more will receive the service project patch for all Girl Scouts in the troop who sold cookies (while supplies last).

Past Cookie Program Community Service Project Recipients

2025

In 2025 Girl Scout troops donated $2,940 to Youth Pride, Inc. (YPI). Youth Pride, Inc.’s mission is to meet the unique, ongoing needs of LGBTQ+ youth and young adults through direct service, support, advocacy, and education. YPI’s values focus on leadership, affirmation, community, and policy/advocacy work for the LGBTQ+ community.

2024

In 2024, Girl Scout troops donated $2,132 to Wildlife Clinic of Rhode Island. Dedicated to the care of injured and orphaned wildlife in Rhode Island, the Wildlife Clinic of Rhode Island and Wildlife Rehabilitators Association of Rhode Island (WRARI) have been providing direct, hands-on medical and rehabilitative care to ALL species of injured or orphaned wildlife in the state since 1993. This organization assists more than 6000 wild patients annually, with the goal of releasing them back into the environment.

2023

In 2023, Girl Scout troops donated $2,343 to House of Hope. House of Hope affirms that safe, stable housing is a basic human right. They address the trauma of homelessness by empowering constituents, delivering high impact innovative services, diversifying housing options, and advocating for policies to counter structural inequalities.

2022

The 2022 Cookie Program Community Service Project non-profit was Children’s Friend, and troops donated $2,641.02 to this remarkable organization.

Children's Friend serves Rhode Island’s most vulnerable children and families. Services include Early Head Start, Head Start, WIC, adoption, foster care, help for families with substance abuse, counseling, assistance for children with developmental delays, and other child welfare and early childhood services.

2021

The 2021 recipient was the Providence Animal Rescue League (PARL). Troops raised $2,067 to support their mission!

The Providence Animal Rescue League is a nonprofit organization dedicated to pets and the people who love them! Programs include cat, dog, and small animal adoptions and low-cost spay/neuter, pet food assistance, and vaccine services for community pets. Your donations will ensure that vital animal care and community support programs can continue. Girls and troops can choose to donate a portion of their cookie proceeds to support PARL. It is also a great opportunity for girls to learn about the importance of giving back to their communities!

2020

After multiple rounds of voting by our GSSNE Girl Scout family, the 2020 recipient was the GSSNE Endowment Fund for Camp Hoffman! Troops raised $2358.50 to help support this beloved camp.

Camp Hoffman is one of the oldest Girl Scout camps in the country and we’re so proud of its long history, unique traditions, and deep magic.

The Camp Hoffman Endowment Fund was created at the 95th anniversary celebration. All dollars contributed will be invested and the earnings from those dollars will be used to support ongoing maintenance and operational needs. In the summer of 2021, Girl Scouts of Southeastern New England will be celebrating the 100th Birthday of Camp Hoffman! The endowment will support the longevity of this special Girl Scout camp, ensuring the opportunity for all girls to enjoy outdoor experiences for years to come.

2019

The 2019 Cookie Program Community Service Project recipient was Little Rhody Rescue! Troops donated $2,968.30 to support their mission.

Little Rhody Rescue is a 501(c)3 non-profit dog rescue and quarantine facility located in Rhode Island who strive to find safe homes for underprivileged and neglected dogs. They are made up of a small group of friends who share a love for dogs. All of their dogs are rescued from animal shelters in Tennessee that are considered to be “high kill” shelters. They are then tested for disease, spayed and neutered, micro-chipped, vaccinated, de-wormed and administered preventions for fleas, ticks and heart worm. Little Rhody Rescue is licensed in the states of Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Vermont and Maine. To date Little Rhody Rescue and it’s affiliates have adopted over 11,500 shelter dogs to loving wonderful families. For more information, visit littlerhodyrescue.com

2018

The 2018 Cookie Sale Community Service Project recipient was The Confetti Foundation! Troops donated $3,190.54 to this amazing organzation! The mission of The Confetti Foundation is to supply birthday parties to children who have to spend their birthday in the hospital.

The foundation was started with the hope that families will be able to shift their focus from their child's sickness for just 30 minutes and celebrate. Although the party is not a cure, it will be a welcome distraction and a good reminder that ever child deserves to be celebrated.

In January 2014, The Confetti Foundation started supplying birthday party kits to children who spend their birthdays in the hospital. Through the party kits, children of all ages are celebrated and honored on their special day. For more information, visit confettifoundation.org

2017

The 2017 Cookie Sale Community Service Project recipient was Operation Stand Down Rhode Island. The mission of Operation Stand Down RI (OSDRI) is to help our nation’s veterans secure stable housing and employment as well as other assistance according to their individual needs.

GSSNE specifically designated the U.S. Marine CPL Holly Charette Home in Johnston to be the beneficiary of the 2017 Cookie Sale Community Service Project proceeds, which totaled $3,759.21.

The U.S. Marine CPL Holly Charette Home was opened in July 2010 and is Rhode Island’s only transitional housing option for homeless female veterans. The home is dedicated to Marine CPL Holly Charette who was killed on June 23, 2005 when her convoy was struck by a suicide bomber in the Anbar province of Fallujah, Iraq. Hailing from Cranston, RI, Marine CPL Charette is Rhode Island’s first female killed in Iraq. For more information visit: http://osdri.org/

2016

In 2016, the The Katie DeCubellis Memorial Foundation was our service project beneficiary. On August 26, 2016 GSSNE presented a check in the amount of $3,617.45 to the Katie DeCubellis Memorial Foundation; the result of money contributed by troops from our council through a portion of their proceeds from the annual Girl Scout Cookie Sale Program.

The mission of The Katie DeCubellis Memorial Foundation is to promote youth leadership, to support education and to generate public awareness of the dangers of drunk driving and substance abuse. Katie was killed by a drunk driver at the age of 13. She was a Girl Scout who believed in helping others and making the world a better place. By educating the community about the dangers of drunk driving, Katie's legacy can live on. For more information visit: http://kdmf.org/

2015

In 2015, the council-wide service project beneficiary was A Wish Come True, Inc. GSSNE and troops donated $6,319.09! The donation helped to grant a wish to a 13 year old girl named Grace, who is also a Girl Scout. She went to NYC and visited the set of the Food Network® show, Chopped.

Founded in 1982, AWCT is the oldest wish granting organization in RI. Their mission for the past 35 years has been to grant the wishes of medically qualified children ages 3 through 18 who have a life-threatening illness, and live in Rhode Island and areas of southeastern Massachusetts. For more information visit: https://www.awish.org/