Girl Scouts of Southwest Texas Annual Report 2020-21
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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
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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 OfficerSaumya Dwivedi
Stella Marti
Anju Soman
Morgan Stone
Vaibhavi Sunkara
Karina Valencia
Ria Vazir
Chief Executive Officer
Angie Salinas
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2020-21 Financials
*Includes $1,771,799 in federal relief (PPP loan forgiveness and ERTC)
4 Public Support Contributions & Special Events............. $1,442,415 United Way..... ............................................ $53,448 Grants* .................................................. $1,935,938 Total Public Support ......................... $3,431,801 Revenues Net Product Sales ................................. $2,622,576 Program Fees ............................................ $197,929 Net Retail Sales .......................................... $65,578 Investment Income .................................. $614,104 In-Kind Contributions............................. $135,009 Other............................................................ $11,370 Total Revenues .................................. $3,646,566 Total Public Support & Revenues ......$7,078,367 Expenses Program Services ................................. $4,600,742 Supporting Services ............................. $1,250,533 Fundraising .............................................. $343,086 Total Expenses .................................. $6,194,361 Change in Net Assets ............................. $884,006 Beginning of Year Net Assets ............. $13,186,892 End of Year Net Assets .................... $14,070,898 2020-21 Expenses Program Services 74% Fundraising 6% Supporting Services 20% 2020-21 Revenues Net Product Sales 37% Public Support 48% Program Fees 3% Retail Sales 1% Other 2% Investment Income 9%
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.
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Non-Hispanic
2.7% 2.6% 2.1%
Membership & Diversity
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.
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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%
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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
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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
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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
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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.
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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.
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