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Enrich your Girl Scout experience by getting involved on a local level. See what's going on in your community!

Local Activities

Girl Scout service units, individual troops and community organizations are known for bringing engaging experiences to local Girl Scouts. Check out what’s happening in your neighborhood.

Activities listed below are open to all Girl Scout members unless otherwise stated.

NEW! Partnership with the 2020 Census

Looking for an opportunity to unleash your inner changemaker? Make the world a better place by participating in an event that happens only every ten years, the United States 2020 Census. Girl Scouts have the power to shape the future of their communities on April 1 by encouraging their families and friends to fill out a simple questionnaire. Here at Girl Scouts Heart of Central California (GSHCC), we have developed a way for Girl Scouts to earn a special Census patch. (See below for details.)

The goal of the 2020 Census is to count every person in the country. Participation can make a difference in how much money the federal government can give back to your community to help fund: housing, health clinics, school breakfast and lunch programs, meals on wheels programs for seniors, veteran programs, roads, transit, preschools, mental health programs, shelters, parks and so much more.

The U.S. 2020 Census is a questionnaire that is less than 12 questions. All households in the United States will receive their census in March. The census can be done online, by phone, or by mail. All information submitted is confidential and secure. The deadline to submit your 2020 Census form is April 30.

Girl Scouts: Earn the 2020 Census Patch!
Once your family’s Census questionnaire has been submitted, and you have done one of the activities listed below, please fill out the form so we can send you an exclusive patch being offered for the first time by GSHCC.

Math

English

History

Geography

Sociology

Grades 9-12

Thanks, Girl Scouts, for your support of the United States 2020 Census!

Hosting an activity you'd like to share? Submit a request to have it added.

Local Volunteer Opportunities

How does a Girl Scout make the world a better place? One community at a time! We’re continually looking for avenues for local girls to make a difference. These community-based opportunities will inspire the changemaker in you!

Big Day of Service - May 11: Big Day of Service is a grassroots, all-volunteer led initiative to make a positive impact in Orangevale and Fair Oaks. A group of community leaders -- including representatives from County Supervisor Sue Frost’s office, as well as individual leaders, local organizations, businesses, and churches -- has been planning the event and is looking for project suggestions as well as more project leaders and volunteers. We believe that communities get better when they serve together, and everyone can play a role in making this happen.

Learn More >
Flying Samaritans: Flying Samaritans
The Flying Samaritans is a charity organization that provides medical, dental, vision, surgery and orthotic care at no charge to the patients of our clinics in the rural towns of Baja California and mainland Mexico.

During an average clinic, we provide primary medical care to more than sixty patients and dental care services to more than one hundred patients. We administer more than eighty eye examinations, and provide prescription glasses to every patient that needs them. More than one hundred pairs of sunglasses and reading glasses are also distributed.

We seek your support in the form of donated items that we can distribute to our patients during our monthly clinics. Such items include: toothbrushes, toothpaste, lotion and other hotel-sized sundries.

Our wish list:

- travel size soap

- travel size shampoo

- travel size conditioner

- travel size lotion

- pens

- tablets

- crayons

- small toys (dollar store)

- combs

- hair brushes

- toothbrushes

- toothpaste

- band aids

- sunglasses (new/gently used)

Learn More →
Kaiser Pillow Project: Kaiser Pillow Project
The South Kaiser facility is in need of pillows for breast surgery patients and new moms. Mastectomy patients need the pillows, to put under their arms, supporting the surgery area. These pillows can also support patients on their ride home, creating cushioning between the injured area and the seat belt. The pillows also support new mothers who have had a c-section, utilizing them across their stomachs when they cough or laugh, helping keep the muscles stable. South Kaiser typically needs about 45 pillows a month to support the needs of the patient community.

Please contact Ann Koutrouba, Volunteer for South Kaiser Hospital, for additional information. She can provide measurements and stuffing for the pillows, ann.koutrouba@yahoo.com.
St. John's & Next Move Family Shelters: St. John’s and Next Move Family Shelters
Support children living at the St. John’s and Next Move family shelters in Sacramento through Project Birthday!

As a Project Birthday Party Sponsor troops will throw a birthday party at one of the monthly Project Birthday party locations. The party sponsor will provide: gifts (1-2 per birthday child), décor, cupcakes, and drinks. They will will organize and play games with the kids and make the birthday child(ren) feel extra special.

This opportunity is perfect for a troop community service project. Project Birthday will assist you with the planning and questions and an on-site “Party Leader” volunteer will be there to help you out during the party! Party dates get snapped up fast so be sure to contact us soon.

Learn more about this opportunity.
Sacramento Library: Sacramento Library
Friends of the Sacramento Library would love to partner with a troop or a whole service unit to do a book drive, children’s books especially are needed. If interested, contact JoAnne Marie at 916-384-7842, or email: bookden@saclibfriends.org
Sacramento Youth Commission: Sacramento Youth Commission
Are you between 14 and 19 years of age, live or go to school in the City of Sacramento and interested in working with your peers to improve our community? If so, and you have ideas about how to do it, then you should apply to be a Youth Commissioner with the City of Sacramento. They are currently recruiting candidates to serve a two-year City Council appointment as a Council District 3 Youth Commissioner.
Team Giving, Inc.: Team Giving, Inc.
Team Giving is a non-profit that has a mission to support local non-profit organizations by inspiring and mobilizing volunteers of all age in our community. We have opportunities all over Sacramento and Placer County. View opportunities online at teamgiving.org/volunteers or call our office today at (916) 824-2118.
Adventure Playground: Community Days

On second Saturdays, Adventure Playground is open to all from 11 AM to 4 PM. The Girl Scouts have a booth which hosts fun activities. We need more people to help work the booth.

This activity is open to the following grade levels:

Cadettes (6–8)

Seniors (9–10)

Ambassadors (11–12)

This activity is open to:

Girl Scouts in my Service Unit

Girl Scouts in my Council

Activity Location:

3301 37th Avenue

Sacramento, CA 95824

United States

Read More or Call (916) 222-3831

You can get more information from the Site Supervisor, Steve Caudle.
Project Birthday: Project Birthday

Project Birthday is a 100% volunteer organization providing birthday parties to children in need. The mission of Project Birthday is to brighten and celebrate the lives of those in need by providing monthly birthday parties and gifts to children living at the St. John’s and Next Move family shelters in Sacramento. Project Birthday volunteers also deliver a monthly “Birthday in a Box” ready-to-go birthday party to families that reside at the Volunteers of America transitional living campus. Primary Contact Phone Number: (916) 447-7063

Primary Contact Email: projectbirthday@communitylinkcr.org

Facility Phone Number: (916) 447-7063

Facility Address:

8001 Folsom Boulevard

Sacramento, CA 95826

United States

Organization or Company Website: http://projectbirthday.org

What generated your interest in working with Girl Scouts?:

Girl Scout troops has been helping us with our parties since our inception in 2004. They have been very gracious and helpful in throwing parties for kids in shelters around our community.

How would you like to work with Girl Scouts Heart of Central California (GSHCC)?:

• Provide community service opportunities to Girl Scouts

What types of activities/programs would you like to offer Girl Scout families?:

Party Sponsors - A Party Sponsor group will deliver and throw a party at one of our monthly Project Birthday party locations. They will provide: gifts (1-2 per birthday child), decor, cupcakes and drinks. They will play games with the kids and make the birthday celebrants extra special.

Birthday in a Box - If you're unable to attend a party and/or want to contribute in other ways, Birthday in a Box is the perfect opportunity to help! Fill a box with the following: Party decorations and supplies, party favors (30 count), children's gifts (new and unused), and gift cards.

How do your organization's goals correspond with the mission of Girl Scouting to build girls of courage, confidence and character through entrepreneurship and financial literacy, life skills, outdoor/environmental, take action and STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts and math)? * The Girl Scouts are always known to take action and make a difference in their community in their own way. By celebrating parties with children in need, they are sharing the best gift they can give: to value one's life. Birthday parties are being taken for granted by a blessed child, but for children living in homelessness, this is a great privilege that they would love to experience once in a year.

Which student grade levels will benefit most from this opportunity?:

• Daisy (Grades K-1)

• Brownie (Grades 2-3)

• Junior (Grades 4-5)

• Cadette (Grades 6-8)

• Senior (Grades 9-10)

• Ambassador (Grades 11-12)

Are adults welcome?: Yes

Describe your qualifications to lead these types of activities and programs for girls.:

I have been a party coordinator for Project Birthday for a year. Handling volunteers like the Girl Scouts are a huge part of my work. I am constantly coordinating Girl Scout parents' request in letting their girls handle their own parties and I gladly accommodate any troops request. I also guide the parents in what to do before, during, and after the event. I also ask for feedback to let me know what to improve on for parties in the future.

Have you worked with Girls Scouts in the past? If yes, please describe. If you have a direct contact please list them below. Yes, the Girl Scouts are really great volunteers! I saw them playing with the kids and are great at preparing the party for them.

This year, I have one contact who will be having a Project Birthday party with us:

Becca Cunningham - bcandjc@gmail.com

What are the costs associated with this program? Is there and overall cost versus a cost per participant?:

The costs of the program depends on the resources that the Girl Scouts will acquire. Since we send out a wish list for them to choose a gift to give to each birthday child, we can estimate that the total cost to do a party is under $50 with gifts and under $30 without the gifts.

• Organization will ensure that all Girl Scouts meeting the age requirements and activity prerequisites are welcomed.

• Programming will take place in a public or approved venue.

• There is no element of direct sales involved. (Troops may not participate in money earning projects for other organizations.)

• Organization will not collect names and/or addresses for the purposes of mailing lists.

Learn More →