We first checked in with the Girl Scouts of Greater New York as their cookie-selling season got underway in January. They were embarking on something new, making the annual initiative completely digital. It was a change to their long-held tradition of selling the yummy treats in person. 

Fast forward a few weeks and it’s time to crunch the numbers. The troops in our region started with a goal of selling one million packages in the five boroughs. So far, they have sold more than two million boxes. 


What You Need To Know

  • The Girl Scouts of Greater New York are selling their cookies exclusively online, for now

  • The organization aims to teach girls about sisterhood and entrepreneurship

  • The Girl Scouts organization had a seasonal goal of selling one million cookies in the five boroughs. More than two million were sold by February

"They have sold more, so this is a record-breaking year. We have never sold that many cookies before in a cookie season here in greater New York,” said Meridith Maskara, the CEO of Girl Scouts of Greater New York. 

Maskara says the organization that teaches girls about sisterhood and entrepreneurship had been gradually transitioning to online sales. The pandemic forced them to make a total change, and fast. 

It was no longer safe for the girls to go door-to-door to make their pitches in person. Instead, the pint-sized sales executives had to showcase their merchandise on their websites. 

"We were so excited to see how these girls, who are of a generation born into technology, own it and understood that this is business today. This is how you make a sale,” said Maskara. 

Annistasia Wilson lives in the Bronx and goes to school in Harlem. She is a proud member of Troop 3169. The 10 year old is a cookie-selling pro, but admits that not having in-person contact with customers has been tough.

“A lot of people are ordering cookies online, so they don't have to come in contact if they have cookies in person. It's been difficult, but I'm still getting cookies sold," said Wilson. 

The fourth grader has sold about half the cookies she did by this point in previous years.

"I get to keep track of how many people are ordering cookies online, since I'm doing most of it online,” said Wilson. 

The cookie sales help fund programs and activities for the girls, including an annual camping trip. To help them do that, the Girl Scouts of Greater New York are offering free shipping from March 8 through March 21.

You can get them for yourself, for others or you can donate some cookies boxes to food pantries in our area.