The 2019 Girl Scout Cookie season is underway, celebrating the largest financial investment in girls annually in the United States and a powerful entrepreneurship incubator for the next generation of female leaders. At a time when girls’ needs and issues collect fewer than $.08 of every dollar granted by philanthropic foundations in the country, each and every Girl Scout Cookie purchase is key to supporting the change-makers of today and tomorrow. The 2019 Girl Scout Cookie program in Western New York runs Jan. 12 to March 31 and booth sales run March 3 to March 31.

Research shows that female-founded start-ups generate more revenue over time and per dollar than male-founded start-ups, but only 17 percent of start-ups are female-founded. Given that over half (53 percent) of female entrepreneurs and business owners are Girl Scout alums, supporting Girl Scouts as they make sales and learn essential business skills is imperative to ensuring our country has a strong workforce and economy.

Through the Girl Scout Cookie Program, girls not only discover their inner leadership potential but also use their earnings to power amazing experiences for themselves and their troop, including travel, outdoor adventure, and science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) programming. Many girls put the money toward impactful community projects right in their own backyards, from supporting animal shelters and food banks to working with local and state legislators to change laws. And the cookie program’s benefits are many; a recent Girl Scout Research Institute study found that two out of three girls who participate in the program learn five crucial skills-goal setting, decision making, money management, people skills, and business ethics-while doing incredible things for themselves and their communities. The proceeds stay local, meaning that when consumers purchase the delicious cookies that come from a registered Girl Scout only, they’re giving back to their wider community.

All across Western New York, Girl Scouts are doing remarkable things made possible by each and every cookie sale. Girl Scouts from Troop 34640 donated a portion of their earned cookie money to fund one-and-a-half flights for people in need of lifesaving medical care across the nation through a local aviation charity. However, girls’ cookie proceeds alone aren’t enough to power the Girl Scout Movement-investing in girls is important year-round, not just during cookie season.

“Every year Girl Scouts all over Western New York use their cookie earnings to do amazing things in their communities and beyond,” said Judith Cranston, CEO of Girl Scouts of Western New York. “As the largest girl-led entrepreneurial program in the world, the Girl Scout Cookie Program is powering the next century of girl entrepreneurs toward greatness and adult volunteers and girls can still join Girl Scouts.”

And Girl Scouts of Western New York is celebrating a tasty new way to support young female entrepreneurs with a recently debuted Girl Scout Cookie added to the 2019 lineup: Caramel Chocolate Chip, which joins classics like the Thin Mints, Caramel deLites®, and Shortbread varieties. Caramel Chocolate Chip features rich caramel, semisweet chocolate chips, and a hint of sea salt in a chewy gluten-free cookie. The new cookie is offered in select Girl Scout council markets only for as long as supplies last. Like other gluten-free consumer products, it may be priced higher than other Girl Scout Cookies, reflecting the cost of production.