My first document

Annual Report

2021-2022 | The Power of Girl Scouts

Girl Scout Mission

Girl Scouting builds girls of courage, confidence, and character, who make the world a better place.

GSCCS Vision

Putting girls first, our Vision is to unite with the community to make the path to success more accessible.

The Girl Scout Program

Grounded in the Girl Scout Promise and Law, Girl Scouting is an experiential, cooperative education program that promotes girls’ personal growth and leadership development. Partnering with caring adults, girls design fun and challenging activities that empower them and raise their voices within a local, national, and global sisterhood.

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.

Girl Scout Law

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.

*Members may substitute for the word God in accordance with their own spiritual beliefs.

Dear Girl Scout Friends,

It is with immense excitement, pride, and gratitude that we present the 2021-2022 Annual Report for Girl Scouts of Central California South. As we reflect on the past year’s accomplishments and look forward to the future, we are reminded of the incredible impact our organization has on the lives of thousands of girls and families in the Central Valley.

The heart of our shared success lies in the transformative power of the Girl Scout Leadership Experience (GSLE) and the community of girl-champions who bring the Mission to life for our girls.

This experience is not merely a program; it’s a journey that begins as young as 5 years old and grows with girls as they grow into the leaders they were meant to be. In this progressive model, girls are not just participants; they are the heroes of their own story. They are the visionaries. They are the change-makers.

One of the most remarkable aspects of the GSLE is the safe, all-girl, girl-led space it provides. Here, girls are free to explore, discover, and express themselves without inhibition. They forge bonds that last a lifetime, finding inspiration in their fellow Girl Scouts and positive role models who guide them along the way. Through this environment, girls learn that their voices matter, that their dreams are valid, and that they have the power to shape their futures.

As we reflect on the accomplishments of the past year, we are humbled by the dedication of our Girl Scouts, volunteers, board, staff, and community. Together, we have achieved milestones that exemplify the spirit of leadership and community service that defines Girl Scouts.

Looking ahead, we are excited to announce major innovations in our council properties that will further empower and serve our girls, adults, and community. Our commitment to excellence drives us to invest in the expansion of our properties, creating spaces that facilitate learning, growth, and connection for all Girl Scouts. These innovative spaces will become hubs of inspiration, where girls can dream big and realize their potential, supported by a dedicated network of volunteers and mentors.

In closing, we extend our heartfelt gratitude to every individual who has played a role in making Girl Scouts of Central California South a beacon of hope, resilience, and empowerment. Together, we are shaping a brighter future, one where girls step into their leadership potential with confidence and purpose.

As we continue on this remarkable journey, let us remember the words of our founder, Juliette Gordon Low: “The work of today is the history of tomorrow, and we are its makers.” With unwavering enthusiasm and a steadfast commitment to our mission, let us make history together.

Yours in Girl Scouting,

“When I’m in Girl Scouts, I help people, spread kindness, and make new friends.”

– Daisy Girl Scout

“In Girl Scouts you learn to love yourself while loving others and putting them before yourself.”

– Brownie Girl Scout

“Girl Scouts is fun, and it teaches you how to stand up for yourself and others.”

– Junior Girl Scout

“My Girl Scout troop supported me through a lot this year, and I supported them too. We all went through difficult times together.”

– Cadette Girl Scout

“I tell my friends to join Girl Scouts because it is a great experience and has greatly boosted my confidence with public speaking and working with officials in the city.”

– Senior Girl Scout

“Girl Scouts has helped me earn scholarships and awards that can be used towards college, and they have given me many opportunities to learn skills that I can put towards my future goals.”

– Ambassador Girl Scout

Dr. Russel Statham Chief Executive Officer

Dr. Gayle Yraceburu Board Chair

Current Board of Directors

Officers

Dr. Gayle Yraceburu, Board Chair

Hon. Virna Santos, Board First Vice Chair

Joanne Bazarian, Board Second Vice Chair

Michael Ossanna, Board Treasurer

Heather Walker Janz, Board Secretary

Directors-at-Large

Fabiola Ramirez

Heather Brown

Kimberly Slavan

Hon. Kimberly Tapscott-Munson

R. Michael Alexander

Nora Creech

Rovert Frausto

Steve Barnes

Board Development Commitee

Heather Walker Janz, Chair

Brenda Budke

Dr. Christina Howell

Fabiola Ramirez

Dr. Gayle Yraceburu

Nora Creech

Virna Santos

Finance Commitee

Dr. Gayle Yraceburu, Board Chair

Michael Ossanna, Treasurer

Kimberly Slaven

Steve Barnes

Neil Schwartz

Current Executive Team

Dr. Russel Statham, Chief Executive Officer

Jenn Hollern, Interim Chief Mission Delivery Ofiicer

Alana Garielson, Chief Financial Officer

Paula Hanlon, Chief of Staff

Jennie Guadango, Chief Development Officer

Brenda Pena, Vice President of People and Culture

Michelle Taylor, Interim Vice President of Marketing and Communications

facebook.com/GSCCS

Our Council By Numbers

213 Total Number of Active Troops in FY 22

91

Total Number of Zip Codes Reached

More members are choosing to stay

Prior to the pandemic, we lost over half of our girl members after their first year.

It was a wake-up call.

We increased support to troops in their first year and improved retention over 10% each year since.

We are serving more girls after COVID-19

During the pandemic, we lost 45% of our girl members, serving over 5,000 fewer girl members- at a time when girls needed us most.

Today we are bouncing back: by the end of 2023, we expect to be reaching over 9,000 girls.

1,351 Girls Severed as Juliettes

Girls who attend events stay in Girl Scouts.

Participating in council events deepens her connection to Girl Scouts, expands her experience, and introduces her to new things. That’s why 73% of event attendess renew compared to 32% of non-attendees.

In FY24, we’re prepared to serve 15,000 total event participants.

We are redesigning our approach.

Middle & High Schoolers Crush Cookie Goals

The average number of boxes sold disproves a common misconception: Girl Scouts in middle and high school sold an average of 500 boxes!

We Serve over 10,000 Girls in Central Council Events and Programs!

As girls participate year after year, their skills grow in progression.

With nearly 12,000 members, we served over 10,000 girls at councilled events. Yet, most were repeat-attendees: only 2,800 unique girls attended Council events and programs.

So, we are increasing access to events among new members.

Highest Awards

Alexa T.

Alexa’s Gold Award addressed the lack of cultural preservation for the Vietnamese community, especially the lack of knowledge surrounding the experiences of the Vietnamese boat people. Following the end of the Vietnam War, Vietnamese refugees fled the country due to poverty, war, and oppression between 1975 and 1995. Traveling on small boats, the “Vietnamese boat people” were susceptible to disease, starvation, dehydration, drowning, and attacks from pirates. The boat people carried unique stories about their experiences fleeing Vietnam with them. However, these stories are not widely known here in the United States despite being such integral pieces of Vietnamese, American, and world history. This group has struggled to retain their cultural heritage especially in the Central Valley where the Vietnamese community is very small. Alexa’s project centralized stories and connected this community to preserve and honor their culture.

Alexandra D. The Butterfly Project Topanga C. Enhance the Walkway

The Girl Scouts of the USA Gold Award Scholarship recognizes one outstanding Gold Award Girl Scout per council whose project exemplifies the core components of the Gold Award. As a scholarship recipient, Alexa received:

• A $10,000 scholarship for post-secondary education

• National recognition on the GSUSA 2023 Gold Award Class webpage

• Local promotion that highlights the impact of her Gold Award

Gold Awards

8

Silver Awards

69

104

Daphne K. Church Nursery Remodel

Bronze Awards

Vietnamese Boat People: Stories from the Central Valley

Finance

2021-2022

Statement of Activites

Net Assets

Statement of Finanical Position

Thank you to our donors

• abc30.com

• Adrian Alvarado

• AgWest Farm Credit

• Aileen Concepcion

• Aldrich Marzec

• Alejandra Caranza

• allevents.in

• AltaOne Federal Credit Union

• Amazon Smiles

• America’s Charities

• Ampersand Ice Cream

• Ana Saiseubyat

• Angela Lopez

• A-Plus Signs, Inc.

• AT&T

• Bakersfield.com

• Bank of America - Bakersfield

• Bank of America - Fresno

• Bank of the Sierra

• Bames Wealth Management

• Bay Equity Home Loans

• Beatrice Miller

• Big Kat Express

• Blanca Soto

• Borges, USA-STAR Fine Foods

• Brandi Johnson

• Brandon Williams

• Brett Carnigan

• Brittanny Zweigle

• Bryan Apper

• Cain, E Pusey & Dorothy T/U/W

• CalViva Health

• Cathy Caples

• Dr. Cathy Ferguson

• Central California Blood Center

• Central Valley Community Foundation

• Chanthy Sayavong

• Chapel of the Light

• Chevron

• Christina Schulteis

• Cultural Arts Rotary Foundation of Fresno

• Dan Tate

• Daniel C. Jackling

• David Fiddler

• Dawan Utecht

• Deborah Besenfelder

• Dee Donnelly

• Dusty Lawrence

• Dwayne Berrett

• EcoWater

• Eddies Bakery Cafe

• Educational Employees Credit Union

• Elizabeth Sande

• Enterprise Holdings Foundation

• Ernest Packaging Solutions

• Eye Surgical and Medical Associates

• Felicia Hayes

• First Christian Church of Bakerfield

• Fleet Feet Fresno

• Food Safety Net Services

• Frontstream

• Gar Bennett, LLC

• Garton Tractor Inc.

• Grace Ozuna

• Grimmway Enterprises Inc.

• Grocery Outlet of Visalia

• Hamrick Walters

• Heather Brown

• Houchin Community Blood Bank

• J.D. Heiskell & Co

• The James G Boswell Foundation

• Hon. Jerry Dyer

• Dr. Jes DeShields

“Everyday, we teach our girls to learn by doing and lead by example. Each of our donors does exactly that as they step up to support Girl Scouts of Central California South as we prepare the future generation of female leaders. Thank you for believing in the power of this program and the potential of every girl.”

• Jim & Beverly Camp

• Jon Kotman

• Journal-topics.com

• JSS Almonds

• Juan Velez

• KBAK CBS

• KBAK Fox

• Kern Health Systems

• KERO 23ABC

• Kesha Criswell-Ingram

• Keta Harroun Back

• KFSN ABC 30

• KGET TV17

• KGPE

• KGPE FRES CBS Up to the Minute

• Kimberly Zandt

• Kimberly Slavan

• Hon. Kimberly Tapscott- Munson

-Jennie Guadagno, Chief Development Officer

• Kings United Way

• KMPH

• KSEE24

• Kulwant Kaur

• Law of Offices of Neil Schwartz

• Lazzerini Family Foundation

• Lennar Central Valley Homebuilding

• Leon S Peters Foundation

• Lleana Murillo Gongora

• Lydia Ledezma

• Lyles Foundation

• Lynda Spray

• Manco Abbott Inc.

• Manpreet Brar

• Margret Kidwell

• Marilyn Watson

• Marilyn and Steven Brown

• Marissa Contreras

• Maritza Orozco

• Maryann Brown

• Maryann Barry

• Me and Eds Pizzeria

• Megan Mosley

• Melissa Crider

• Mesa Verde Trading Co

• Michael and Linda Alexander

• Michelle Greenlee

• Motor City Buick GMC

• Movement Growth Fund

• Neufeld Real Estate Team Powered by RE/MAX GOLD

• Noble Credit Union

• One Fresno Foundation

• Overland Stockyard

• Pete and Mona Pankey

• Portwood Farms

• Quality Home Services

• Resnick Foundation

• Rob and Dr. Gayle Yraceburu

• Robert Frausto

• Robert Mejia

• Robert D. Sansom

• Robert Bavier

• Robert Statham

• Rosa Brothers Milk Company

• Roselind Gaviola

• Dr. Russel Statham

• Samantha Smith

• Sandy Stubblefield

• Santos Law Group

• Schuil Ag Real Estate

• Scott Faulkenburg

• Sharon SchiefelBien

• Sharon Darnell

• Sheila Ottesen

• Shelly Mizener

• Simply Misfits Creation

• Sinclair Systems International

• Small Cakes Bakery

• Smart & Final Charitable Foundation

• Sparklett’s Water

• Spring Bunting & Associates

• Starbucks

• Stephen and Dee Ann Lantz

• Steve Barnes

• Sue Vang

• Sumanpreet Rai

• Susan (Susie) Bartlett

• Sweet Surrender

• T.A. Heckel

• Taft College Foundation

• Ted Lee Overmyer

• Tejon Ranch

• Terry Barthuli

• Teryll Lucero

• The Business Journal

• The GoodCoin Foundation (Walgreens)

• The Otis Booth Foundation

• Tom Bordchardt

• Tonja Bertolucci

• Traci Fox

• TumTo23.com

• Twin Cities Public Television

• Twitter

• Tylor McWilliams

• Ultra Gro

• United Way of California Capital Region

• United Way of Greater Los Angeles

• United Way of Greater Rochester

• Valley Strong Credit Union

• Vernon Amaro

• Virginia Valdez

• Visalia Breakfast Rotary

• Visalia Times Delta

• Vue Family Therapy, Inc.

• Vulcan Materials Company

• Wayne H Towne Family Foundation

• Wells Acoustics

• Weston Foods- ABC Bakers

• Westside Equipment

• Wonderful Orchards

• Worthington Family Foundation

1377 W Shaw Ave., Fresno, CA 93711

800.490.8653 | www.girlscoutsccs.org | info@girlscoutsccs.org

The Power of Girl Scouts

Invest in Girl Scouts. Change the World.

Girls are the leaders and innovators that our future world requires and being Girl Scouts gives them the tools they need to succeed. With your help, we can continue to create and optimize an environment where girls explore freely, expand their perspectives, and discover the unimaginable. As Girl Scouts, they’re part of a movement that encourages them to take action and supports their confidence to drive change. You play a critical role in making it all happen. Help girls discover their untapped potential and watch as they become the leaders that our businesses, communities, and planet need. Let’s get started!

Volunteer, connect, or donate by visiting girlscoutsccs.org