During this past year, United Way of the Ozarks has responded to the COVID-19 pandemic by investing in our partner nonprofits. Our partner nonprofits sought to Our partner nonprofit, Girl Scouts of the Missouri Heartland, has navigated through the needs that come with facing a health crisis, as well as continuing to “build girls of courage, confidence, and character, who make the world a better place.” Girl Scouts of the Missouri Heartland continue to advocate for children in our community by bringing them meaningful interactive materials, as well as instill confidence and courage.
Girl Scouts of the Missouri Heartland were allocated $3,650.00 for the Coronavirus Response fund. These funds were used to purchase gloves, masks, and supplies to clean and sanitize high-touch surfaces in the Springfield office and at Camp Finbrooke. Through the pandemic, they continued to provide services and leadership experiences to 2,400 Girl Scouts. Due to safety concerns, they had to cancel numerous program events, including the 2020 signature event, Project S.T.E.M. The Coronavirus Response Fund helped provide assistance to make up portions of this shortfall. This allocation helped them offset the revenue losses while continuing to build girls of courage, confidence, and character, who make the world a better place.
From left to right: Mask use in the Springfield office; Graphic for Girl Scouts at Home; Cleaning supplies all purchased and supported by the Coronavirus Response Fund at United Way of the Ozarks.
The Girl Scouts of Missouri Heartland introduced virtual programming and provided support to troop leaders by creating at-home Zoom programs. This allowed Girl Scouts to engage from home and continue in their efforts. The Girl Scouts of the Missouri Heartland ensured that safety was their top priority during this year.
Erin Mitchell, a board member and troop leader for Girl Scouts of the Missouri Heartland, had this to say about the importance of being a mentor in Episode 4 of United Way of the Ozarks’ Connecting the Dots Series: “United Way funds the Girl Scout leadership experience, which is the sole program that Girl Scouts offer. Part of mentoring is providing a positive role model for girls, and it is important for us to go out into the community and be that person, to be that role model.” The Girl Scouts of the Missouri Heartland continue to provide our community with role models that mentor Girl Scouts to become leaders and themselves.
JOIN THE FIGHT AND LIVE UNITED!
Stay tuned to our blog as we publish a “good news” story each week detailing the ways our community has risen to the pandemic’s challenge to LIVE UNITED. You can also sign up to receive our monthly newsletter to stay connected to the work United Way of the Ozarks is doing to make a difference in our community.
United Way of the Ozarks is committed to supporting our nonprofit community throughout the COVID-19 outbreak.