Girl scouts heart of new jersey's (GSHNJ) mission is to build girls of courage, confidence, and character, who make the world a better place

In alignment with the corporation for national & community services' education priority area, GSHNJ seeks to end the cycle of poverty, homelessness and incarceration among low-income communities by engaging vulnerable new jersey girls in structured, impactful programming. Specifically, in an effort to address the unique challenges faced by homeless children and families, as well as families impacted by the justice system, GSHNJ is launching troop 6000 and our girl scouts beyond bars (GSBB) programs to serve high-needs girls in newark and elizabeth. Troop 6000 will serve an initial cohort of 26 girls experiencing homelessness and two adult volunteers, and GSBB will serve ten girls and their mothers/caregivers in its launch year, with the intent to grow and expand both programs in subsequent years. These programs will function just as any other girl scout program would - except troop meetings will take place in local, partnering homeless shelters and transitional housing facilities, and within the edna mahan correctional facility in clinton, new jersey. Troop meetings will be led by trained troop leaders - women living in the shelter system and incarcerated mothers - who will engage girls in typical troop activities, such as earning badges, selling cookies, and participating in camp outings. GSHNJ proposes to enlist a total of two vista volunteers who will help to build the capacity of both programs. The vista volunteers will serve as vital team members, helping to raise awareness of the two programs within local central new jersey communities and beyond; forging partnerships with homeless shelters, community-based organizations, and the funding community, including government and private funders; and contributing to all aspects of the project, from delivering trainings to adult volunteers on the outset of the programs' roll-out, to developing complementary enrichment activities. In an effort to provide troop 6000 participants with a place to transition once their families leave the shelter system, the two vista volunteers will also help to recruit girls and grow traditional girl scout troops in the areas in which we are forming troop 6000 troops. The two volunteers will serve with GSHNJ for one year.