Girl Scouts celebrate faith-based connections

Girl Scouts and faith-based communities share an enduring tradition of Girl Scouting and spiritual expression that spans the organization's history. The Girl Scout experience is based on the Girl Scout Promise and Law, which include principles and values common to most faiths.

Girl Scouts is also proudly nonpartisan, secular, and inclusive.

Its membership, which currently consists of 3 million girls and volunteers as well as over 59 million alumnae, includes women and girls of varied religious traditions. In remaining secular, the intent is not to minimize a girl's religious experience; to the contrary, Girl Scouts is a place where girls of all faiths can honor their spirituality while at the same time embracing the diversity of the Girl Scout Movement.

This year during Girl Scout Week, March 9-15, Girl Scouts of Northern Illinois will celebrate Girl Scouts' rich history of partnership and collaboration with faith-based communities by highlighting the My Promise, My Faith Pin, which complements existing religious recognitions and allows all girls to further strengthen the connection between their faith and Girl Scouts.

Faith-based awards include religious recognitions as well as the My Promise, My Faith pin. In addition, many faith-based communities offer programs, in conjunction with Girl Scouts, which recognize local girl members.

Adult volunteers from faith-based organizations partner with girls by connecting the My Promise, My Faith pin to their faith's own religious recognitions, guiding girls through their personal faith journey and helping them understand their faith intellectually and spiritually.

Girl Scouts of Northern Illinois serves over 17,000 girls and 4,000 adult volunteers in parts or all of Boone, Carroll, Cook, DeKalb, DuPage, Jo Daviess, Kane, Kendall, Lake, LaSalle, Lee, McHenry, Ogle, Stephenson, Whiteside, and Winnebago counties.

For more information on how to join, volunteer, reconnect or donate to Girl Scouts of Northern Illinois, visit www.girlscoutsni.org or call (800) 242-5591.