side menu icon

About Girl Scouts of Northern California

_MGL9340 (1)

With more than 1.7 million girls and 750,000 adults across the United States who believe in the power of every G.I.R.L. (Go-getter, Innovator, Risk-taker, Leader)™, Girl Scouts is 2.5 million strong.

Our extraordinary journey began more than 100 years ago with the original G.I.R.L., Juliette Gordon “Daisy” Low. On March 12, 1912, in Savannah, Georgia, she organized the very first Girl Scout troop, and every year since, we’ve honored her vision and legacy, building girls of courage, confidence, and character who make the world a better place.

We’re the preeminent leadership development organization for girls. And with programs from coast to coast and across the globe, Girl Scouts offers every girl a chance to practice a lifetime of leadership, adventure, and success.

Girl Scout Mission

Girl Scouting builds 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.

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

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. 

GSNorCal Culture Code for Equity and Belonging

GSNorCal Culture Code for Equity and Belonging

At GSNorCal, we are part of a movement to build equity, inclusion, diversity and belonging. We work to end all forms of oppression, starting with racism. As a leader, that means I…

DISCOVER myself in a racist and unjust world

  1. I understand our world was built on structural racism. 

  2. I recognize there are intersections between racism and all forms of oppression. 

  3. I acknowledge that white people benefit from unearned privileges based on skin color. 

  4. I honor the legacy of Freedom Fighters who came before me. 

  5. I learn key terms to empower myself as a student of social justice.

CONNECT with my heart wide-open

  1. I value relationships with people who are different from me. 

  2. I know hurting hurts, even if I didn’t mean to do it. 

  3. I believe you if you tell me you've been harmed. 

  4. I can tolerate feeling uncomfortable while I learn. 

  5. I take the risk and have courageous conversations.

TAKE ACTION to make the world better for all people.

  1. I center and nurture the leadership of people of color. 

  2. I listen and take in feedback as a gift 

  3. I speak up about racism and all forms of oppression. 

  4. I work to change policies to be racially equitable. 

  5. I take responsibility for things I say and do. 


For All Girls

Diversity and inclusion have been core values of Girl Scouts since its founding in 1912. Girl Scouts of Northern California and Girl Scouts of the USA value diversity in all its forms and do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, creed, religion, alienage or national origin, ancestry, citizenship status, age, disability, gender, marital status, familial status, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identification, genetic information, public assistance, local human rights commission activity, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local laws.

At Girl Scouts of Northern California, we are committed to providing a welcoming and inclusive environment for every girl and her family.

No Economic Barriers

Girl Scouts of Northern California is dedicated to extending opportunities to all girls—regardless of their finances. For help with paying membership fees and other expenses, see Financial Aid.

Racial and Ethnic Diversity

In 1956, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. called Girl Scouts “a force for desegregation.” Long before laws promoting civil rights were passed, Girl Scouts' Promise and Law embraced every girl. We continue to honor our history of inclusion by providing inclusion training and resources for our volunteers and troop leaders working with girls.

Spirituality and Faith

Girl Scouting supports girls from all backgrounds and beliefs. While we are a secular organization that refrains from teaching religious or spiritual beliefs or practices, we believe that the motivating force in Girl Scouting is a spiritual one, and we greatly value our longstanding partnerships with religious organizations across many faiths that share the values of the Girl Scout Promise and Law.

We encourage girls to develop connections to their own spiritual and religious beliefs by earning recognitions provided by their faith communities and by earning the My Promise, My Faith pin (download the pin description [PDF]), which helps a girl deepen the connection between the Girl Scout Law and her faith.

Learn more about Girl Scouts of the USA’s relationship with faith organizations on Girl Scouts of the USA's website.

All Abilities

Girl Scouts strives to adapt activities to girls who have disabilities or special needs. Girl Scouts of Northern California provides inclusion training and resources for our volunteers and troop leaders working with girls.

All Girl Space

Girl Scouts is proud to be the premiere leadership organization for girls in the country. An all-girl experience is important to girl development. Research shows that single-gender environments provide more opportunities for girls to build confidence, a key component of leadership.

Our Statement on Transgender and Non-Binary Youth

Girl Scouts of Northern California values diversity in all its forms and does not discriminate on the basis of gender, sexual orientation, gender identification, or gender expression.

Girl Scouts of Northern California is committed to supporting its troops and service units in creating an environment where all girls have the opportunity to participate in a movement that encourages them to overcome barriers and become leaders in their community and world.

Girl Scouts is a single-gender centered youth programming environment and this is not changing. Girl Scouts of Northern California is committed to inclusion and strives to provide a safe and welcoming environment for transgender and gender non-conforming Girl Scout members and prospective members. This is made possible through partnership and clear expectations between Girl Scouts of Northern California, volunteer(s), and the child and their family. Girl Scouts of Northern California's trained staff will work directly with volunteers and families to ensure the best outcome for the child, and where necessary, a smooth transition period.

Girl Scouts welcomes all adult volunteers and has developed appropriate safeguards regarding roles and responsibilities to ensure that girls receive proper supervision and support.

trefoil-divider

GSNorCal by the Numbers: 2019–2020

user7_32

34,489 Girl Members
Participating in programming focused on entrepreneurship, life skills, outdoors, community service, and STEM.

planet04_32

4.5 Million Packages of Cookies Sold
The Girl Scout Cookie Program is the largest girl-led financial literacy program in the country. That's a lot of girl-led businesses!

award1_32

149 Gold Awards Earned
Our Girl Scout Leadership Experience culminates in the Gold Award, our highest honor for girls.

tree1_32

14,398 Outdoor Badges Earned
Girls have been learning about nature, even when access to the outdoors is limited. 

dollar-sign_32

319,366 Total Financial Aid
Distributed to girls thanks to our generous donors.

rocket_32

5,143 Girls Attended Stem Events/Programs
Girls explored engineering, robotics, space science, and technology.

checklist2_32

3,603 Volunteer-Led Troops
Our council has more adult members than any other Girl Scout council nationwide.