Morristown Girl Scouts Mobilize to Feed Kids in Need

Girl Scouts are often associated with the cookies they sell door to door annually. But they are an organization that has spent 102 years empowering young women and enriching communities. 

Earlier this month, Girl Scouts from the Morristown Service Unit did both when they acted to provide food for needy children.

The East Orange YMCA was making a change in the new year to a new vendor that would provide a healthier menu for 210 children receiving federally subsidized meals. The catch was the switchover came with a seven-day interruption in services and that’s when the Y staff, community members, area businesses, local religious groups and the Girl Scouts all rallied to help. Together they provided 300 breakfasts, 300 lunches, 1,000 dinners and thousands of healthy snacks.

Lisa Kelly, Director of Development for the East Orange YMCA praised the “overwhelming generosity” of the Girl Scouts and all others who helped. 

“The community really strengthened the Y,” Kelly said. 

• Morristown Area Girl Scout Troops donated 32 full bags of food. 

• Daisy and Brownie troops joined in the effort, contributing snacks, juice, fruit and more that was collected at their roller skating party in Florham Park, attended by over 200 kids and 100 adults.

• Cadettes in Troop 813 provided over $300 of luncheon meat and 50 pounds of fruit. Cadettes in Troop 457 and Senior Scouts in Troop 415 donated 15 pounds of lunch meat and 12 loaves of bread.

• Ambassadors in Troop 2070, a group of high school seniors, used their money to provide lunch for two days for the children – $250 worth of lunch meat, bread, fruit and vegetables. Then they used the remaining $100 to help pay for dinner for the kids.

• One troop leader purchased a case of breakfast cereal, containing 96 individual bowls of cereal. 

Karen Robson, East Orange YMCA School Age Child Care Director said the outpouring of community support made a real difference.

“Many of our children never knew how close they were to missing a meal. We never had to look our children in the eyes and say that dinner was not coming tonight," Robson said. "Our children were able to laugh, learn and play because of this support.”