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Membership FAQs

If you are looking for a fun, unique activity for your daughter, look no further than Girl Scouts! We have a positive setting for her to have amazing adventures and a safe place to create lifelong friendships.

Girl Scouts is far more than fun and friends. Along the way we build courage, confidence, and character. From troops to camps to individual opportunities, Girl Scouts is one of the best choices you can make for your daughter.

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How much does it cost to get started? National Membership Dues are $25 a year for each membership year. There's also an annual Council Service Fee of $15 to support training and support of leaders as well as other critical "behind-the-scenes" essentials*. That’s it! Uniforms are not required and can be purchased over time. Leadership Journey books and The Girl’s Guide to Girl Scouting are key elements. They can be purchased from our council shop, online or in person.

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Register your daughter today!

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How can you be involved?
We value your time! Participate in whatever way is most convenient for you and your family. Whether you are bringing her to meetings or coordinating events, walk through the experience with her and create memories!

 

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Discover the ways you can participate!

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What is the Girl Scout Leadership Experience?
Everything we do is based on three keys of leadership. Girls will:

  • Discover who they are and what they stand for
  • Connect with others locally and globally
  • Take Action to make a difference in the world

* Financial Assistance is available. No girl is denied membership for financial need. To help cover additional costs, Council Cookie Credit can be earned through the Cookie Sale Program.

How To Join Girl Scouts

Getting Started

Follow these steps to join Girl Scouts.

  1. Visit MY GS to get started. You can click the link on our main menu or click here.
  • On this registration screen after you click on MYGS, you can currently choose to Find Troops, Create a Troop, Volunteer, or Become an Adult Member. 
  • An option to Find Events will be added later this year. Until then, visit our activities calendar. 

Follow the directions in the next tabs to continue your registration.

For assistance with registration, email customercare@gsfun.org or click on the chat icon to speak with someone live during business hours.

Pueden descargar nuestro  Formulario de Inscripción para Niñas/Muchachas y Adultos (PDF). Más información acerca de Girl Scouts en nuestra página.

Stopping Within the Registration Process 
If at any point you'd like to stop within the registration process before purchasing your Girl Scouts membership, a staff member will be in touch shortly to answer your questions or provide you with more information. 

Please note: Once a membership is purchased, we are not able to provide refunds, except in cases where the wrong membership year was selected or a duplicate membership was purchased.

 

Find Troops
  1. Search for available troops based on zip code and grade.  We suggest keeping the radius at 10 miles to start with.  This will populate troops near you, as well as the option to participate as an individual Girl Scout (Juliette). 
    • To participate as a Juliette scroll down to the very bottom on the page with troop options and select “Apply to participate without a troop”. 
    • Use this option to complete membership if you know your troop number but can’t find it in the search. Email customercare@gsfun.org and Membership Support will assist you!
    • In the troop search, you can “See More Details” about a troop such as where and when the troop meets, what volunteer positions are available or “Request More Information” about the troop. 
  2. When ready, you can add (+) the number of girl or adult household members you want to register with a troop. You will be then asked to create an account. 
  3. Create an account. If this is your first time registering a member in your household, you will choose “Don’t have an account? Sign up now”. An activation email will be sent to your account, you must verify your email address to continue the registration process. After email verification and account activation, you will be prompted to log-in. 
  4. Add membership details for the girl and caregivers and accept the Girl Scout Law and Promise.  At this time, you can Request Financial Aid or pay for membership by credit card. Click Submit Member Details.
  5. Complete purchase by entering credit card info, review cart, and you will be registered. 
Create A Troop

If you want to help start a troop, enter your information, agree to the criminal background check, invite friends to join you. When you click Submit Request, a member of the Membership Support team will be in touch to help you get started! 

Volunteer

Do you want to volunteer with a specific troop? Type in the troop number to find volunteer opportunities for that troop. (Hint: Make sure to remove the zip code when typing in a troop number.) 

Add Role or Become a General Member. You will need to log in or create an account to continue the registration process.

Join As An Adult Member

Do you want to find volunteer opportunities near you? Type in your zip code to find volunteer opportunities in your area. Create an account and register. You can also click “Join as an adult member.” A staff member will be in touch shortly to help you find the right opportunity. 

When can we join Girl Scouts?

Adults and girls in grades K–12 can join as Girl Scouts at any time of the year. 

Girls also participate throughout the year by attending events, going to summer camp, or participating as a Juliette—an independent Girl Scout.

What is a lifetime membership and how do I get one?

Stay connected and support the largest leadership development organization for girls in the world! Join as a lifetime member today, and make an enduring pledge to believe in the power of every girl, everywhere.

Lifetime membership is available to any individual who accepts the principles and beliefs of the Girl Scout Movement, pays the one-time lifetime membership fee, and is 18 years of age or older.

Learn more and join as a Lifetime Member.

How to Renew A Membership

Getting Started
  1. Visit MY GS to get started. You can click the link on our main menu or click here.
  2. Fill out your account information – Enter your email address and password. (Troubleshooting Login Issues below)
  3. Click on My Account (top right-hand side of page).  You are now able to access your account information, household contacts, renew or register members, access troop information, Volunteer Toolkit, and more!
  4. Select “My Household”  and scroll down to the household members who are renewing.  Check the boxes next to each person renewing, as well as the troops (this secondary box is for adults).  Click SUBMIT MEMBER DETAILS to continue.  Review your purchase, accept the Girl Scout Law and Promise, then continue on to the cart and complete the renewal purchase.  
Renew A Member
  1. Visit MY GS to get started. You can click the link on our main menu or click here.
  2. Fill out your account information – Enter your email address and password. If you have difficulty, review the Troubleshooting tips in the tab below.
  3. Click on My Account (top right-hand side of page).  You are now able to access your account information, household contacts, renew or register members, access troop information, Volunteer Toolkit, and more!
  4. Select the troop number you wish to renew and then scroll down to the troop members who are renewing.  Check the boxes next to each person renewing, as well as the troops (this secondary box is for adults).  Click SUBMIT MEMBER DETAILS to continue.  Review each troop participant, accept the Girl Scout Law and Promise, then continue on to the cart and complete the renewal purchase.  
Renew A Troop
  1. Visit MY GS to get started. You can click the link on our main menu or click here.
  2. Fill out your account information – Enter your email address and password. If you have problems logging in, review the Troubleshooting tab below.
  3. Click on My Account (top right-hand side of page).  You are now able to access your account information, household contacts, renew or register members, access troop information, Volunteer Toolkit, and more!
  4. Select the troop number you wish to renew and then scroll down to the troop members who are renewing.  Check the boxes next to each person renewing, as well as the troops (this secondary box is for adults).  Click SUBMIT MEMBER DETAILS to continue.  Review each troop participant, accept the Girl Scout Law and Promise, then continue on to the cart and complete the renewal purchase.  
Troubleshooting Login Issues

If you are unable to login to your MyGS account, logging in for the first time since our system upgrade, or you cannot remember your password, follow these password reset steps.

  1. Click the Forgot Password link.
  2. Enter your email and click Send Link to send a password reset link to your email. 
  3. If your email is found in the system, you will receive an email from Girl Scouts prompting you to set a new password.
    • Make sure to check your junk/spam folder.
  4. From the email, click Set a new password button.    
    • If the system prompts “There is no user with that username or email”, please reach out to Customer Care at ?customercare@gsfun.org or 800-785-2090.
  5. Reset your password by creating a new password, confirming, and then click Reset Password. You are all set. You will now be able to follow the login instructions listed above.

Cost and Financial Assistance

What does it cost to become a member?

National Girl Scout membership fees are $25 per year—whether you’re a girl or an adult member—and are paid to Girl Scouts of the USA (national movement). The Council also charges $15 per year service fee to supplement the cost of programs, so total girl registration fees are $40. Yearly memberships are valid October 1 (or the day you sign up) until September 30 each year. When you become a Girl Scout, you are part of Girl Scouts of the USA and are placed within your local council (Girl Scouts of the Jersey Shore).

Girl Scout Daisy (grades K–1) and Brownie (grades 2–3) parents report spending an average of $130 per year. There is financial assistance available for all of the costs outlined below, and many troops cover these costs with their earnings from the Cookie Sale Program and Fall Product Program.

Item

Cost
Membership Fees $40
Uniform and Books (See our Shop) $65
Troop Dues $40
Do I qualify for financial assistance? How do I apply?

Girl Scouts is open to all girls and adults, regardless of their income. We make funds available to support girl members or girls seeking membership to Girl Scouts of the Jersey Shore by providing supplemental resources beyond a family’s ability to pay. To apply, select Apply for Financial Assistance during registration when you choose payment type. You will be sent a form to complete for each member of the household who requests it. 

If additional financial assistance is needed after registration for uniform components or troop dues, please request a form from customercare@gsfun.org. 

About the Girl Scout Program

What will my girl learn? What is the Girl Scout Leadership Experience (GSLE)?

Girl Scouts is the best girl leadership program in the world. Our program centers on what we call the Girl Scout Leadership Experience, or GSLE—a collection of engaging, challenging, and fun activities like earning badges, going on awesome trips, selling cookies, exploring science, getting outdoors, and doing community service projects.

At Girl Scouts, she’ll get to lead her own adventure and team up with other girls in an all-girl environment to choose the exciting, hands-on activities that interest her most. Along the way, she’ll gain important skills in four areas that form the foundation of the Girl Scout Leadership Experience:

  • Science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM)
  • Outdoors
  • Life Skills
  • Entrepreneurship

The Result? A Lifetime of Leadership! In fact, being a Girl Scout helps girls thrive in five key ways. As a Girl Scout, she:

  • Develops a strong sense of self
  • Displays positive values
  • Seeks challenges and learns from setbacks
  • Forms and maintains healthy relationships
  • Learns to identify and solve problems in her community
Is my girl safe in Girl Scouts?

At Girls Scouts, girl safety is our top priority. Here are just a few of the ways we ensure girls stay safe:

Volunteer Background Checks

All new volunteers are required to complete a background check and current volunteers are required to complete a background check every three years. To learn more about background checks, and the requirements needed for volunteers to pass checks, visit our ways to volunteer page.

Safety Activity Checkpoints

We know that activities are more fun when everyone feels safe! To ensure this, volunteers are trained to follow our Safety Activity Checkpoints while planning and participating in troop activities.

Volunteers can find Safety Activity Checkpoints at Volunteer Essentials - Safety.

Race, Gender, Abilities, and Spirituality—is Girl Scouts inclusive?

Diversity and inclusion have been core values of Girl Scouts since its founding in 1912. We provide a safe and welcoming space for girls of all abilities, all races and ethnicities, from all religious backgrounds and spiritual beliefs—all in a girl-only environment with no economic barriers. 

Girl Scouts of the Jersey Shore 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.

Insurance

All registered Girl Scouts receive basic accident insurance coverage for Girl Scout activities through national membership dues. This insurance covers up to $100 in medical expenses regardless of other coverage. Additional expenses are only covered if personal family insurance does not cover them.

About Troops

When/how often do troops typically meet?

Most troops meet once or twice a month, but the time commitment and meeting schedule for Girl Scouts can vary depending on the volunteers and activities girls are interested in doing. Each Girl Scout troop sets their own meeting schedule and may have meetings once per week, bi-weekly, a mix of meetings and field trips throughout the year. Most troops meet throughout the school year, and some choose to go camping or do activities over the summer.

Who leads the troop?

Most troops meet once or twice a month, but the time commitment and meeting schedule for Girl Scouts can vary depending on the volunteers and activities girls are interested in doing. Each Girl Scout troop sets their own meeting schedule and may have meetings once per week, bi-weekly, a mix of meetings and field trips throughout the year. Most troops meet throughout the school year, and some choose to go camping or do activities over the summer.

Parents, Guardians, & Volunteers

What is expected of me as a parent/guardian of a Girl Scout?

Take an Active Role

As a Girl Scout parent, you’ll want to take an active role in your daughter’s Girl Scout experience. You can help with refreshments or transportation or assist with troop meetings. Ask your girl’s troop leaders how you can best assist the troop.

Support Activities

Along with troop activities, your active role can include supporting product sales like fall product and the cookie sale. Support your girl, her troop, and the council by learning about the sale and following all guidelines and procedures.

Respect the Troop Leaders’ Time

Girl Scouts would not be what it is if it weren’t for our dedicated volunteers. Troop leaders are not responsible for girls beyond the time of the actual Girl Scout activity. Please respect the troop leader’s time by having a responsible person drop off your girl at the appropriate time and pick her up immediately after the activity.

Check Out the Family Connection Guide

The Girl Scout Family Connection Guide is your family's go-to, super-fun guide to getting the most our of this year in Girl Scouts!

Should I become a volunteer? What skills and time are required?

There are many ways to volunteer for Girl Scouts—from occasional troop volunteers (who assist leaders), to service unit volunteers, to troop leaders—you’re sure to find a role that suits your interests, skills, and schedule. Each volunteer role has unique opportunities!

It’s easy to become a volunteer! All you have to do is register to join Girl Scouts and pay the $25 in membership dues. During the registration process, you’ll be able to search by zip code and select your volunteer opportunity. Then you’ll need to complete a background check and any appropriate training for your volunteer position. You can start this process at the same time you register your girl!

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