Girl Scouts of Orange County

Girl Scouts builds girls of courage, confidence, and character, who make the world a better place. 

Girl Scouts offers the preeminent leadership development organization for girls, with a research-proven program. Girl Scouts of the USA (GSUSA) was founded in 1912, by Juliette Gordon Low. Today, Girl Scouts is a global movement of 2 million Girl Scouts across 92 countries keenly focused on preparing girls to bring their dreams to life and work together to build a better world. Girl Scouts of all backgrounds and abilities can be unapologetically themselves as they discover their strengths and rise to meet new challenges.

Girl Scouts of Orange County (GSOC) was founded in 1968 and now serves 15,000 girls (ages 5-18) and 10,000 volunteers and adult members from every zip code in Orange County. GSOC’s membership spans all age levels (5-18), races, ethnicities, socio-economic levels, and physical abilities. Girl Scout troop levels consist of: Girl Scout Daisies (Grades K-1), Girl Scout Brownies (Grades 2-3), Girl Scout Juniors (Grades 4-5), Girl Scout Cadettes (Grades 6-8), Girl Scout Seniors (Grades 9-10), and Girl Scouts Ambassadors (Grades 11-12). Girls meet regularly during the school year and participate in camps and many other activities over the summer.  The Girl Scout Leadership Experience is built around five pillars that serve as the foundation of the Girl Scout Leadership Experience: Science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM), Outdoors, Life Skills, Arts (Entertainment and Hospitality) and Entrepreneurship.  

Girl Scouts helps girls thrive in five important ways. Girl Scouts: • Develop a strong sense of self • Display positive values • Seek challenges and learn from setbacks • Form and maintain healthy relationships • Learn to identify and solve problems in the community.  Further, the inclusive, all-female environment of a Girl Scout troop creates a safe space where girls can try new activities, develop skills, take on leadership roles, and be themselves.  The Girl Scout Gold Award is the most prestigious award in the world for girls-- and the most difficult to earn and it is only available through Girl Scouts. Through the Girl Scout Gold Award, girls engage in a rigorous process that calls for leadership at the highest level, as girls tackle issues, they are passionate about. Gold Award Girl Scouts earn college scholarships, demonstrate high educational and career outcomes, and are active in their communities. Here in Orange County, approximately 100 Girls earn the prestigious Girl Scout Gold Award annually. Girl Scouts of Orange County relies on foundation grants, fundraising events, individual gifts, and corporate sponsorships to fulfill its mission. Headquartered in Irvine, CA, GSOC operates four program centers throughout the county, including Argyros Girl Scout Leadership Center in Newport Beach, a Community Center in Santa Ana, and a 700-acre resident camp, Camp Scherman, in the San Jacinto Mountains.

Since 1912, Girl Scouts have explored new fields of knowledge, learned valuable skills, and developed strong core values. Today, guided by supportive adults and peers, girls develop their leadership potential through age-appropriate programs that enable them to discover their values, skills, and the world around them. And they take action to make a difference their world - together. The goal is that they become responsible, productive, caring, and engaged citizens who are set up for a successful future thanks to the confidence, conflict resolution, and problem-solving skills that are critical to well-being.

The Girl Scout Impact Study developed by the Girl Scout Research Institute provides compelling evidence that Girl Scouts fare better than non–Girl Scouts on several key measures of life success.

LEADERSHIP OUTCOMES. Girl Scouts are more likely than non-Girl Scouts to:
• Have a strong sense of self (80% vs. 68%)
• Have positive values (75% vs. 59%)
• Seek challenges and learn from setbacks (62% vs. 42%)
• Develop and maintain healthy relationships (60% vs. 43%)
• Exhibit community problem-solving skills (57% vs. 28%)

ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT. Girl Scouts are more likely than non-Girl Scouts to:
• Earn “excellent” grades (53% vs. 45%)
• Expect to graduate high school (88% vs. 83%)
• Expect to graduate college (70% vs. 60%)

CAREER ASPIRATIONS. Girl Scouts are more likely than non-Girl Scouts to:
• Desire a career in STEM (26% vs 14%).

HOPE FOR THE FUTURE. Girl Scouts are more likely than non-Girl Scouts to:
• Expect to have a great future (73% vs. 64%).

Girl Scouts are twice as likely as non-Girl Scouts to participate in challenging, problem-solving activities that shape their character-- 50% of female business leaders were Girl Scouts, as were 80% of female tech leaders, 76% of female U.S. Senators, 100% of female U.S. Secretaries of State, and nearly all female astronauts.

Girl Scouts helps OC girls grow into citizens who are responsible, caring, and engaged in the world around them.

No two Girl Scouts are the same. Each one is special—with her own dreams and ambitions for the future. Girl Scouts of Orange County believes there is greatness in every girl and helps her find it. At the very core of Girl Scouts of Orange County is our deep commitment to providing girls with the experiences and tools they need to find their voices, understand their inherent self-worth, pursue their dreams, and change the world. We know that girls face difficult and unique challenges, and we know our program works to benefit Girl Scouts.

As a nonprofit, GSOC is financially powered by the proceeds earned through council-sponsored product programs (Girl Scout Cookie Program and Fall Product Program) and, just as importantly, by philanthropy. While members do pay a nominal fee to join Girl Scouts, those funds do not stay local. They are used by our partner organization, The Girl Scouts of the USA, to support the Girl Scout Movement.

The five areas where Girl Scouts of Orange County currently sees a pressing need are Volunteer Support, Mental Health Programs, our new all-encompassing Arts Program, Outdoor Programming, and Inclusion which allows us to better serve girls with disabilities.

New funds would be used to support these areas in a variety of ways including:
• Staffing (overseeing program)
• Training (volunteers, staff, girls)
• Program (materials, equipment, specialists)
• Facilities (maintenance, safety updates and program needed transformations)

Your generous gift makes a difference. Invest in the incredible, life-changing efforts of Girl Scouts of Orange County. Fuel Dreams. Champion Girl Scouts.

Girl Scouts of Orange County serves the entire population of Orange County, CA.

"Girl Scouts need a champion. They need a community willing to invest in their dreams. They need a network of supporters cheering them on and showing them what is possible. Our core values center around the Girl Scout Promise and Law, in which all Girl Scouts pledge to be kind to others, respect themselves, use resources wisely, and make the world a better place. Girl Scouts of Orange County offers an amazing, multi-faceted program designed to empower girls. In addition to ongoing career exploration opportunities built into the Girl Scout program last year, we offered two premiere events, Dreams to Reality and our STEM Career Exploration, that helped them glimpse into possible future careers. We help develop well-rounded girls by offering them opportunities to develop STEM skills, business skills, social-emotional life skills, and so much more. When you combine those values and those skills, you get a great, strong leader who would be an asset to any organization."

"Girl Scouts learn how to make the world a better place from kindergarten to high school. They can start with age-appropriate Take Action projects as early as Daisies (kindergarten through 1st grade). As they get older, Girl Scouts are encouraged to identify community problems, find the root causes, brainstorm solutions, implement a plan, and create sustainable change. We recognize and honor Girl Scouts making a difference. Every year, hundreds of girls earn Girl Scouts' highest awards, including the Bronze, Silver, and Gold Awards. Many of the projects Girl Scouts started are still around. One example is the nonprofit organization GEARup4Youth, which teaches technology and programming. It was started in 2015 by a Girl Scout who is now attending Stanford University. GEARup4Youth is still going strong, serving school children throughout Orange County. Talk about a legacy. Girl Scouts have already changed the world and will continue to knock it out of the park as leaders."

As CEO of Girl Scouts of Orange County (GSOC), Dr. Vikki Shepp is on a quest to ensure that all girls have access to the life-changing opportunities Girl Scouts offers. She has led GSOC since 2018, and complacency is not in her DNA. Dr. Shepp is a changemaker and is sharply focused on ensuring transformative leadership development experiences for nearly 15,000 Girl Scouts across Orange County.

Under her leadership, GSOC recently opened a new center in the heart of Santa Ana. Staffed with six full-time employees, the center is fully bilingual, English and Spanish, and bicultural in a community that is challenged with a 16.72% poverty rate and is predominantly Hispanic. The center not only provides Girl Scout Troops a place to meet and engage in Girl Scout activities, but it is also equipped with computers and STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) education resources to help girls cultivate valuable life skills.

Dr. Shepp prioritizes professional development, so much so that she earned her Ed.D. in Organizational Change and Leadership at the University of Southern California, Rossier School of Education. Dr. Shepp strategically chose her dissertation topic to benefit the Girl Scout movement. Her Dissertation title, Serving Girls with Exceptionalities in Girl Scouts Through Executive Support, and her research on how to serve girls with varying abilities and needs led to expanding the GSOC staff by hiring an Inclusion Specialist. The Inclusion Specialist guides the development of processes, resources, and procedures to increase accessibility and provide support to all Girl Scouts with disabilities.

In addition, Girl Scouts of Orange County (GSOC) is the 1st Girl Scout council in the United States to receive the Sensory Inclusive Certification from KultureCity ®, the nation’s leading nonprofit on sensory accessibility and acceptance for those with invisible disabilities. As part of the certification, Girl Scouts of Orange County staff received training from leading medical and neurodivergent professionals on recognizing girls with sensory needs and accommodating their sensory sensitivities.

“We are incredibly proud to be the first Girl Scout council to receive this critically important certification from KultureCity because we recognize that some Girl Scouts need extra support. We are breaking down the barriers that prevent our girls with sensory sensitivities from fully enjoying the enriching program Girl Scouts offers,” Dr. Vikki Shepp, Ed.D., Girl Scouts of Orange County’s CEO, said. “GSOC’s certification and partnership with KultureCity allows us to ensure all our programs and events are sensory-inclusive so no girl feels left out.”

Dr. Shepp is also focused on building and improving what GSOC offers. Another key new hire, an Arts Program Manager, benefits its Arts, Entertainment, and Hospitality Program, which is evolving in tremendous ways. GSOC collaborated with 11 new program providers to create 24 innovative programs, launched a Summer Arts Series, and held an Arts Roundtable to gain insight and inspiration from Arts leaders in the community. In addition, GSOC’s Outdoor Programs hired additional staff to expand the capacity to provide day camps, boating programs, and other outdoor opportunities.

When it comes to philanthropy, Christine A. Scheuneman is a strong believer in Girl Scouts and finding your “why.” Her “why” is empowering girls to live their best lives through Girl Scouts of Orange County (GSOC). Ms. Scheuneman is a lifelong supporter of Girl Scouts, who champions girls by serving as Chair of the Board for GSOC. Equally as important, she contributes financially to the leadership development program that serves nearly 15,000 girls.

Ms. Scheuneman has a purpose and a passion that developed during her childhood. Growing up in the Midwest, Ms. Scheuneman joined Girl Scouts at the age of six. From Brownie to Ambassador, she participated at every level of the organization, taking full advantage of all that Girl Scouts had to offer. Ms. Scheuneman went on to receive the highest award a Girl Scout can earn, the Gold Award. After high school, she continued as a camp counselor. Those experiences made such an indelible impression that they influenced the trajectory of her life and her philanthropy. A chance conversation about GSOC in 2011 triggered Scheuneman’s philanthropic “why” in such a profound way. “It demonstrated to me that I could have an impact locally,” Ms. Scheuneman recalls. “I was really impressed with what they were doing with the girls and decided to get involved.”

Ms. Scheuneman’s favorite part about giving back is seeing a girl who might start out shy and timid evolve into a resilient, confident leader. She has witnessed firsthand how Girl Scouts benefit from the wide range of programs. Ms. Scheuneman believes dynamic women are shaped by risk-taking, developing confidence, making a difference, and lifting females up. “We know that girls and women do not always have those influences in their lives,” Ms. Scheuneman says. “With the right encouragement and opportunity, they accomplish amazing things. Truly changing the world.”

Ms. Scheuneman became a founding member of the Promise Circle, launched in 2020. Promise Circle joins stakeholders together with their investment, advocacy, and networking. When funds are unrestricted, financial support can be used where the need is the greatest. “The Promise Circle is a way for philanthropists to connect with and invest in the incredible, life-changing efforts of Girl Scouts of Orange County,” says Ms. Scheuneman. “It is people who are passionate about the mission, what we are doing, and looking to the future of what we can accomplish together.”

Ms. Scheuneman is also a proud member of the Juliette Gordon Low Society, which is a distinguished group of friends across the country who make Girl Scouts part of their legacies and a beneficiary of their estates. Ms. Scheuneman strongly advocates estate giving but in conjunction with donating now through Promise Circle. “Obviously, you want to have an impact,” says Ms. Scheuneman. “Even better to be around when your generous donation is being used to further the mission. We are able to thank you, and you can participate in the program that changes girls’ lives.”

Girl Scouts of Orange County Board of Directors
Elected by delegates from across the council, Girl Scouts of Orange County’s Board of Directors is the governing body for the organization. In addition to serving as ambassadors and advocates for Girl Scouting in Orange County, the board governs the council through functions that include strategic planning, policy development, and fiduciary oversight. The board is comprised of talented business and community leaders from across Orange County, as well as three current Girl Scouts who serve as advisory members, giving a voice to our nearly 15,000 girl members.

The greatest challenge facing Girl Scouts of Orange County is diversifying its revenue, reducing reliance on the Cookie Program and increasing fundraising.

FYE Ended 2023 (October 1, 2022 through September 30, 2023), our latest audited financials, our operating results were as follows:
o Revenues = $14,536,000
o Expenses = $16,611,000
o Deficit = ($2,075,000)

For the same period directly above, FYE Ended 2023, our program services expenses represented 85.10% of total expenses

As of our latest audited financials at 9/30/23, our FOGST (Friends of the Girl Scouts Trust) Investment Balances were as follows:
o Without donor restrictions = $18,021,000
o With donor restrictions = $1,847,000 (substantially endowments)
o Total Net Assets = $19,868,000

FOGST net assets have been built up through strong cookie sales and donations over many years and continue to be invested and managed by a professional financial advisor firm and group of professional volunteers (the Trustees) to grow these assets each year. During and coming out of the pandemic, GSOC’s membership decreased dramatically adversely impacting cookie product sales, retail sales, camp participation, etc. FOGST reserves have acted as a buffer by replenishing GSOC for any cash deficits in each year, but this is not sustainable as the Cookie Program has seen challenges with costs and consumer threshold. Fundraising has to be elevated to alleviate the reliance.