GSSWT Annual Report 2021

Girl Scouts of Southwest Texas Annual Report 2020-21

From the Board Chair & CEO

Girl Scouts know how to adapt. Our resilience and ability to persevere in the face of great odds has served us well for 110 years.

When our lives changed in spring 2020 with the emergence of COVID-19, and when the pandemic continued in 2021, we approached each obstacle that came our way with that same Girl Scout spirit: thinking creatively and acting boldly.

This report gives a broad look at Girl Scouts of Southwest Texas’ finances, demographics, and programs for the 2020-21 fiscal year. You will see that like all organizations, our council was severely affected by the pandemic, leading to a loss in revenue and membership.

What you will also see is that girls, parents and caregivers, volunteers, alums, donors, board members, and staff continued to step up, adapting during a time of uncertainty and providing an excellent Girl Scout experience for all.

Families renewed memberships, and their young entrepreneurs weren’t daunted, for example, by changes to the Girl Scout Cookie Program, hosting drive-thru cookie booths and online sales with contactless porch delivery. Girls tackled synchronous and asynchronous virtual programming and changes to summer camps, as well, with the help of staff and volunteers.

They earned patches, made new friends, and learned how to be leaders, with 30 receiving the prestigious Girl Scout Gold Award. You can read about one of our amazing Gold Award Girl Scouts, Alexandra Castillo, on Page 6.

Staff members and volunteers remained dedicated to providing the best possible experience for girls as well as expanding opportunities. We organized the firstever public Day of the Girl celebration in Hemisfair Park in October, bringing together city leaders and organizations focused on supporting and improving the lives of girls. It was a huge success, and we’re excited for an even bigger event this fall.

Donors, likewise, remained dedicated to our girls and our mission, giving more than $1.4 million, including approximately $200,000—alongside our nine Patch Initiative Partners—to our fundraising

The world needs more Girl Scouts because Girl Scouts change the world.

campaign in lieu of our annual Trefoil luncheon. Your donations, along with federal relief funding, bolstered us in a time of need, served as motivation, and made a significant difference.

Above all, girls in our troops and those who participate through schools and community partners were able to problem-solve and come together to achieve their goals, and we’re proud of them.

Recovering from the pandemic and rebuilding operations won’t be easy. Even as we expect growth in membership, we know our resources remain limited. But we are not deterred.

As we look toward our council’s 100th anniversary in 2024, we know our movement is more relevant—and necessary—than ever. Your continued support is inspiring, and we remain grateful. The world needs more Girl Scouts because Girl Scouts change the world. Thank you for believing in them, and in us.

2021-22 BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Board Chair

Annie Uribe Turner

1st Vice Chair

Jelynne LeBlanc Jamison

2nd Vice Chair

Carrie Gray

Secretary

Dr. Sarah Baray

Treasurer

Jessica Mobley

Members-At-Large

Luis de la Garza

Dr. Gretcha Flinn

Claudia Smithwick

Monica Moore Gonzales

Teri Grubb

Amy Grubbs

Gwendolyn Jaramillo

Lee Anne Keim

Wendy Kowalik

Lori Johnson Leal

Anthony Medina

Brian Oley

Amy Perry

Erika Prosper

Lea Ream

Maritza Rodriguez

Amy Shaw

Dr. Sandi Wolff

Ex-Officio Girl Board Members

Diya Ballal, Girl Board Chair

Symantha Noel, Girl Board Vice Chair

Ella Danica Arispe

Miriam Barba

Monica Cruz

Annie Uribe Turner Chair, Board of Directors

Major General Angie Salinas, USMC (Ret) Chief Executive Officer

Saumya Dwivedi

Stella Marti

Anju Soman

Morgan Stone

Vaibhavi Sunkara

Karina Valencia

Ria Vazir

Chief Executive Officer

Angie Salinas

2020-21 Financials

*Includes $1,771,799 in federal relief (PPP loan forgiveness and ERTC)

Membership

Ethnicity 64.4% 26.2% 9.4% 78.2% 10% 1.6% .3% .2% Race 4.4% 3,636 12,255 total members in 2020-21 8,619

Adults 71.6% 15.9% 3.2% 4% .7% .4% 2.1%

Girls

Race 56.3% 14.4%

American Indian or Alaskan Native Asian

Black or African American White

Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander

Two or More Races

Other

Not Reported

Ethnicity

Diversity Legend 29.3% Race

Hispanic Not Reported Ethnicity

It is optional for members to report demographic information to Girl Scouts of Southwest Texas. Race and ethnicity not reported result from girls served in partnership with school districts or other youth-serving agencies.

Gold Award Girl Scout

Changing the world most often starts with changing your community. Alexandra Castillo looked to her own Northside Independent School District for her Gold Award project, writing a book to help third- through fifth-graders process their emotions as they encounter life’s challenges.

“My parents divorced when I was eight, and I knew others who were going through different emotions from growing up in two households,” Castillo said. “I had also just experienced the death of a close family member, my dad’s mother. That was a huge blow for me. It made sense to write a book to help me process my feelings and help others. It was a very therapeutic process for me.”

The result is “The Hope Project,” which focuses on how young people can learn to navigate their emotions when they experience life issues such as divorce, death, low self-esteem, and more. The books were distributed to counselors throughout the school district, including at

Adams Hill Elementary, where her mother, Annette CastilloRobinson, is principal. The school counselor, Dr. Kimberley Gaskill, LPC, Ed.D., CSC, served as Alexandra’s Gold Award mentor on the project and uses the book when working with students’ parents.

“The book helps to open conversations for parents and their children,” Alexandra said. “I look at it as another piece of self-care for myself and others.”

Alexandra also received a Girl Scout Bronze Award and Girl Scout Silver Award during her tenure in the council, which began when she was in kindergarten. She graduated from Brandeis High School in 2021 and attends Schreiner University in Kerrville, Texas, where she majors in education. She plans to receive her master’s degree in educational leadership and become a school principal. She credits her time in Girl Scouts for preparing her for college life and beyond, and she is quick to thank her

mother for getting her involved and her Troop 592 leader, Christie Goodman, for setting an example.

“I had the best time learning about myself, leadership skills, and how to become a better person,” she said. “I can say my time and journey in Girl Scouts was an extra push to follow my dreams.

“Not only did it show me how to be a leader, but I gained so many skills from selfconfidence to self-esteem—and I made friends for life. We’re sisters now.”

Gold Award Girl Scouts don’t just change the world for the better, they change it for good. The Gold Award is earned by girls in grades 9–12 who demonstrate extraordinary leadership in developing sustainable solutions to local, national and global challenges. Since 1912, Girl Scouts have answered the call to drive lasting, impactful change. The Gold Award is the mark of the truly remarkable.

2021 Gold Award Girl Scouts

Audrey Davis

Ariel DiPeri

Lydia Dorr

Camryn England

Jena Garza

Divinity Gunn

Katelyn Jones

Julia Mahavier

Teresa Mayorga

Caroline Medina

Madilyn Mimun

Asha Patterson

Emma Ramos

Abigail Roberts

Alekhya Sanghubattla

Alexandra Snow

Olivia Zachry

Ashley Arriola

Marisque Avila

Alexandra Castillo

Kendall Clauss

Daniela Gaither

Fiona Hale

Hally Lopez

Lauren Lozano

Ciera Ochoa

Emily Regner

Paula Ann Reilly

Laura Reilly-Sanchez

Carolina Taboada

Outcomes of the Girl Scout Leadership Experience

The Girl Scout Leadership Experience, the foundation of the Girl Scout program, features a variety of fun, challenging, and experiential activities that empower girls as they develop five attitudes, skills, and behaviors essential to effective leadership.

Here’s how girls in our council responded to a survey on these leadership outcomes for the 2020-21 year:

92%

90%

91%

88%

93% of girls developed a strong sense of self of girls developed positive values of girls sought challenges of girls built healthy relationships of girls desired to solve community problems

The Girl Scout Experience

The ongoing pandemic didn’t stop us from providing engaging programming focused on four pillars: STEM, Outdoors, Life Skills, and Entrepreneurship. These provide Girl Scouts a wide range of experiences to develop the skills they need to change the world.

Entrepreneurship

Outdoors

STEM

Life Skills

Named for our founder, Juliette’s Circle is an extraordinary group of individuals who are passionate about the Girl Scout mission. Members show their support by committing to an unrestricted gift of $1,000 a year for three years. Each gift gives girls a space to lead, thrive, and make the world a better place.

Because when girls are given opportunities to grow and develop their potential, they change the world.

Members

Dr. Sarah Baray

Dr. Susan Blackwood

Donna Brady

Mary Rose Brown

Laura Burt

Ella Carrasco

Cece Cheever

Jean Cheever

Joan Cheever

Regina Cheever

Chris Crane

Luis de la Garza

Patricia Diaz Dennis

Jan Elliott

Saundra Finleon

Stephanie Finleon

Cortez

Dr. Gretcha Flinn

Lisa Fullerton

Victoria Garcia

Monica Gonzalez

Jackie Gorman

Suzanne Goudge

Roger Graham

Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of this list. List includes members as of January 24, 2021.

Carrie Gray

Barbara Greene

Teri Grubb

Amy Grubbs

Jody Hernandez

Susan Hough

Jelynne LeBlanc

Jamison

Gwendolyn

Jaramillo

Lori Johnson Leal

Katie Jones

Lee Anne Keim

Janet King

Margie Klesse

Wendy Kowalik

Jane Macon

Rebeca Martinez

Anthony Medina

Jessica Mobley

Susan Pamerleau

Janet Pedrotti

Amy Perry

Stacie Prier

Erika Prosper

Lea Ream

Angela Salinas

Cynthia Schneider

Andrea Seal

Amy Shaw

Marsha Shields

Blythe Simonson

Cecilia Smith

Barney Smith

Claudia Smithwick

Paula Starnes

Dr. Cynthia

Teniente-Matson

Diane Theiss

Jill Torbert

Annie Turner

Laura Vaccaro

Suzanne Wade

Lynn Weirich

Linda Whitacre

Dr. Sandi Wolff

Without you, our circle is not complete.

“Ours is a circle of friendships united by ideals.”

~ Juliette Gordon Low Founder, Girl Scouts of the USA

Blue Meridian Grant of the San Antonio Area Foundation

Capital Group Companies, Inc.

City of San Antonio

CPS Energy

Major Donors

Elizabeth Huth Coates

Charitable Foundation of 1992

Faye L. and William L. Cowden Charitable Foundation

Marcia and Otto Koehler Foundation

Greehey Family Foundation

Harvey E. Najim Charitable Foundation

H-E-B

Margie and Bill Klesse / Klesse Foundation

McCombs Foundation

NuStar Energy LP

Sally and Charlie Cheever Foundation

Shining Star ENERGY

Texas A&M

University-San Antonio

The Tobin Endowment

United Way of San Antonio & Bexar County

USAA Foundation

Valero Energy

Valero Energy Foundation

Wells Fargo Bank NA

Wheeler Foundation

Linda & Edward Whitacre

Alice Kleberg Reynolds Foundation

Jon & Rebecca Brumley

CAPTRUST

Muriel F. Siebert Foundation

Nancy Smith Hurd Foundation

Palmer Foundation

Angela Salinas

AFCEA Educational Foundation Alamo Chapter

Betty Stieren Kelso Foundation

Broadway Bank

Cece D. Cheever

County of Bexar

Suzanne & Jimmy Goudge

Gwendolyn W. Jaramillo

San Antonio Livestock Exposition Educational Fund, Inc.

San Antonio Women’s Chamber of Commerce Foundation

The Ewing Halsell Foundation

TPG Global Action Fuels

Alamo Management Group

Dr. Susan Blackwood

Laura E. Burt

Joan M. Cheever

Regina Cheever

C.H. Guenther & Son Inc.

Chris Crane

Cleary Zimmermann Engineers LLC

Covenant Multifamily Offices LLC

Davidson Troilo Ream & Garza

Luis de la Garza

Patricia Diaz Dennis

Dixie Starnes Wenger Foundation

Peggy Eighmy

Saundra L. Finleon

Stephanie A. Finleon Cortez

Katherine Flinn

Lisa A. Fullerton

Victoria M. Garcia

Larry Gay

Monica Gonzalez

Carrie Gray

Roger Graham

Teri M. Grubb

Amy S. Grubbs

Hempel USA Inc.

High Touch Technologies

Susan Hough

Law Offices of Herrera-Worley

Steve Hillmer

Wendy Kowalik

Lori Johnson Leal

Marietta K. Randall Foundation Trust

Our thanks to the many donors who supported the Girl Scout mission with their generosity during the 2020-21 fiscal year.

Gregory E. Muenster

National Association of Student Personnel Administrators Inc.

Amy L. Perry

Pershing LLC

Suzanne C. Peterson

Uwe Pontius

Positive Action Rehab & Performance

Stacie M. Prier

Erika Prosper

P16Plus

Lea Ream

San Antonio Lighthouse for the Blind

San Antonio Report

Cynthia Schneider

Security Service Federal Credit Union

Andrea K. Seal

Sendero Wealth Management

Sewell Automotive Companies

Amy Shaw

Joe Shields

Silver Eagle Distributors Charitable Fund

Blythe Simonson

Barney Smith

Cecilia M. Smith

Southwest Business Corporation

Splashtown San Antonio

Diane M. Theiss

Texas Auto Carriers Inc.

Texas Cavaliers Charitable Foundation

TIAA Charitable Inc.

Toolbox Studios

Annie U. Turner

United Way of Comal County

United Way of Val Verde County

United Way of Guadalupe County

The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio

Lynn Weirich

Wildlife Partners

Dr. Sandi J. Wolff

Akin, Doherty, Klein & Fuege PC

Edgewood ISD

Shelia Lopez

3M Foundation

Deena Clausen

Brian Dibrell

Dr. Gretcha Flinn

Ms. Helen K. Groves

Jackie L. Gorman

James M. Guerin

Linda Kelly

Janet King

Jessica Mobley

Linde Murphy

James B. Smith

Student Orgs 1

Elizabeth R. Swize

United Way of Greater Atlanta

United Way of Kerr County

Joseph Zlotkowski

Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of this list. List includes donations received as of September 30, 2021. If we have made an error, please notify the development department.

I will do my best to be honest and fair, friendly and helpful, considerate and caring, courageous and strong, and responsible for what I say and do, and to respect myself and others, respect authority, use resources wisely, make the world a better place, and be a sister to every Girl Scout. 811 N Coker Loop San Antonio, Texas 78216 210-349-2404

(toll free 800-580-7247) girlscouts-swtx.org

Girl Scout Law

Girl Scout Mission Building girls of courage, confidence and character, who make the world a better place.

Girl Scout Promise

On my honor, I will try: To serve God and my country, To help people at all times, And to live by the Girl Scout Law.

La Ley de Girl Scouts

Yo me esforzaré por ser honrada y justa, cordial y servicial, considerada y compasiva, valiente y fuerte, y responsable de lo que digo y hago. y por respetarme a mí misma y a los demás, respetar la autoridad, usar los recursos de manera prudente, hacer del mundo un lugar mejor, y ser hermana de cada una de las Girl Scouts.

La Misión de las Girl Scouts

Girl Scouts ayuda a las niñas a desarrollar el valor, la confianza en sí mismas y los principios para hacer del mundo un lugar mejor.

La Promesa de Girl Scouts

Por mi honor yo trataré: De servir a Dios y a mi patria, Ayudar a las personas en todo momento, y vivir conforme a la Ley de Girl Scouts.