Carroll Gardens Brownies to help women’s shelter

Girl Scouts Troop 2339 will be using a big portion of their cookie proceeds to create care packages for the 100 residents of the Park Slope Women’s Shelter.

Christine Brower and Alexandra Carroll are the Girl Scout Troop leaders for his group of “Brownies” (11 girls ages 7-9). According to Brower, the troop sold a “whopping” 1,700 boxes of cookies.

The troop gets to keep a percentage of the money earned by cookie sales, and had selected the Women’s Shelter as their community service project. The 100-bed shelter provides temporary housing, meals and comprehensive services for homeless, mentally ill and substance-abusing women.

“As we investigated pricing on making 100 care packages, we found there was not enough ‘cookie money’ to fulfill such a large order,” wrote Brower in an email to the Star-Revue. “Though the girls offered to spend more of their cookie money than planned on the community service project, there still wasn’t enough.”

That’s when Brower and Carroll put the word out to friends, colleagues and the local community. After hearing about what the troop was doing, sponsorships came pouring in. Donations came from states as far as Georgia, Florida and Wisconsin. The Target on Atlantic Avenue donated a $50 gift card for the care packages, and Arm & Hammer sponsored toothpaste and deodorant. Also, New York’s Empire Force Events/Access New York sponsored tote bags to hold all the items, Goldner Associates sponsored all the shipping fees for the blankets, hand towels and hairbrush deliveries, and Wolfmark of Wisconsin sponsored $1,300 in blankets.

With the Girl Scouts’ “cookie money” and almost $3,000 in sponsorship, the Park Slope Women’s Shelter will receive 100 beautiful care packages for their residents.
Brower and Carroll believe that “tiny hands can change the world,” and Troop 2339, along with help from their friends and community, are doing just that.