Girl Scouts In The NYC Shelter System Are Selling Cookies Online & Here’s How To Support Them

Considering every cent of the money raised by Girl Scout cookie sales benefits your local council and troops, it's easy to excuse buying those five (okay, ten) boxes of Thin Mints when cookie season rolls around. While you are definitely supporting a good cause with each box you buy, a Girl Scout troop made up of girls in the New York City shelter system are beginning their first season of cookie sales, Refinery29 reported, and luckily, you can support them, even if you're not in New York City.

Troop 6000 is made up of about two dozen girls, and was established in 2017 through a partnership between New York City's Department of Homeless Services and the Girl Scouts of Greater New York, according to ABC News. It's the very first New York City homeless shelter-based troop, and though this is its first cookie sale, the troop is hoping to sell enough cookies to draw even with its name: 6,000 boxes.

If you're local to New York City and want to snag some cookies in person, you'll be able to find members of Troop 6000 selling their delicious, delicious wares from their official cookie stand at Kellogg's NYC in Union Square, ABC News reported.

But if you're not local to New York City, no worries — you can also help Troop 6000 reach its goal by purchasing cookies from Troop 6000's online page.

Girl Scouts of Greater New York CEO Meredith Maskara told ABC News, "The biggest impact that we see, and when you talk to the girls you'll hear them say, is that they belong to something. They have a sisterhood within the other Girl Scouts. They talk to other girls who may be in their same situation who feel alone, and they feel like they have a stronger sense of community and belonging overall."

Girl Scout Karina, who is 12, helped found Troop 6000 while she was living in a shelter. She talked to Refinery29 about helping to break some of the stigmas surrounding homelessness, saying, "I wasn't expecting [becoming homeless] to ever happen to me. You hear about it, you see people that live on the streets, but you wouldn't think an actual homeless person would look like me or all the other beautiful girls around here."

Ruby Cornelio, who is currently living in a shelter with her daughters Jasmine and Juwanda, told Refinery29 that she thinks Troop 6000 is providing an opportunity for them. "It's a big step to take because it teaches them responsibility, it's a good skill to learn at a young age," she explained.

Karina, who has moved out of the shelter, refers to the members of Troop 6000 as her sisters, and says being part of the Girl Scouts "has brought them really close together," according to Refinery29. "Girl Scouts has taught me I can be whoever I want to be, no matter what age, what gender," she said. "I can be whatever what I want to be."

If you're stocked up on cookies or just want to give a little bit more, you can also support Troop 6000 with direct online donations. To do so, go to the Donate Now page on the Girl Scouts of Greater New York's website, and under the Designation section, simply select Girl Scouts in NYC Shelters to make sure your donation is sent to Troop 6000. You can also contribute online to the Mayor's Fund to Advance New York City, where you can select Support Girl Scout Troop 6000 to have your portion of funds designated to the troop.

No matter how you choose to support Troop 6000, one thing's for sure — knowing you're helping girls in the shelter system find sisterhood to last a lifetime will be sweeter than a box of Savannah Smiles.