The Girl Scouts of Hawaii received $800,000 as part of philanthropist MacKenzie Scott’s latest round of grant-making.
Scott donated a total of $84.5 million to the nonprofit Girl Scouts of the USA and 29 select local councils — the largest donation the organization has received from an individual since its founding in 1912, according to CEO Sofia Chang.
Several initiatives the donation will support include the GSH’s new STEM Center for Excellence at Paumalu and its After School Leadership Program for girls in underresourced areas of the community
“As one of the smallest councils in the nation and the smallest council chosen, this grant validates our innovative programming approach, which we continuously evolve to provide girls with the skills, knowledge, and training they need to be well-prepared for their future — from STEM activities and environmental stewardship to financial literacy lessons, life skills and more,” said Shari Chang, CEO of Girl Scouts of Hawaii, in a news release issued Tuesday.
Prior to this donation, she said, only 1.6% of annual giving has benefited women and girl-focused organizations nationwide.
“With the challenges facing girls today, it’s critical that the community invests in their futures through organizations like the Girl Scouts of Hawaii,” Chang said.
The recently opened STEM Center for Excellence encourages girls to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering and math, fields in which women are vastly underrepresented. Some of the interactive programs cover subjects such as cyber-security, astronomy, robotics, computer coding, botany, chemistry, environmental stewardship and more.
The After School Leadership Program, meanwhile, provides hands-on, out-of-classroom learning opportunities that complement national and state science standards for girls from low-income families.
The programs are offered at a low cost and available at locations within easy walking distance of school.
The Girl Scouts of Hawaii supports over 5,000 girl and adult members statewide, with headquarters on Oahu and three service centers on the Big Island, Kauai and Maui.
