Can you feel it in the air? The season of giving is almost here! As we prep for the holidays with excitement to spend time with our loved ones, we also look for ways to support our fellow community members that need it most. This year has been challenging in many ways, but Girl Scouts remains along with all of the amazing ways we have come together for support.

Girl Scouts of California’s Central Coast focuses on building community and sisterhood, appreciating the unique value of all girls, and helping one another through tough times. During a time when many of our girls and Girl Scout families are facing unprecedented challenges, there are a variety of ways one can lend a helping hand. Some troops organize food drives, some send cards to nursing homes, and some pool their Product Program earnings to donate to a meaningful cause.

However you choose to spread some holiday cheer, our council is so thankful for your support over the course of this year. We are grateful to be a part of numerous charitable giving campaigns this season, through which we look forward to developing more incredible programming for our girls, adding exciting additions to our camps, and providing financial assistance so that all girls may continue to call Girl Scouts home. Learn more about each giving opportunity below, and happy holidays!

Target Circle

What it is: Target Circle is a loyalty program for Target shoppers, available nationwide! Through Target Circle, shoppers have the ability to earn votes with each purchase made to help direct where Target gives locally. Other Target Circle perks include 1% back on every purchase, free next day delivery, and birthday surprises! Your votes help determine how Target’s donation is divvied up, and every vote counts to help us receive a portion of the available Target funds. As you earn more votes with every new purchase, you can keep voting throughout the campaign!

How to participate: Every 90 days, Target highlights a group of nonprofits to their guests based on their preferred store location (set through your Target Account settings on target.com, or on the mobile app). To see our council as an option for voting, you must set a store in Ventura County as your preferred location. You can enroll in the Giving Program for free by signing up, downloading the Target app, or providing your phone number at checkout. Guests earn one vote every time they make an eligible purchase at Target, online and in-store. At checkout, simply scan the Wallet barcode in your Target app at the time of purchase, or scan the barcode on your receipt with the Target app within seven days of purchase. To earn a vote while shopping online or in the Target app, users must have joined Target Circle and be signed into their Target.com account when they place an order. After logging into your Target account at target.com or on the mobile app, follow the prompts and instructions to cast your vote!

When it ends: Voting ends on December 31, 2020.

AmazonSmile

What it is: With so many of us doing our holiday shopping virtually this year, AmazonSmile is making giving back a breeze! When you shop at smile.amazon.com, Amazon donates a portion of eligible purchases to your favorite charitable organization – at no extra cost to you!

How to participate: You can now designate Girl Scouts of California’s Central Coast as the charity you would like to support! Simply visit smile.amazon.com or activate AmazonSmile on your Amazon Shopping app on your iOS or Android phone (found under settings on your app). On smile.amazon.com, click “Get started,” enter “Girl Scouts of California’s Central Coast,” click “Search,” select our organization, and get shopping! When you are using the app, always check for the “AmazonSmile” logo to ensure AmazonSmile is activated. You will see products eligible for charitable donations marked “Eligible for AmazonSmile donation” on their product detail pages.

Monterey County Gives!

What it is: Our council was selected to participate intheMonterey County Gives! matching grant program, a collaboration between the Monterey County Weekly, the Monterey Peninsula Foundation and the Community Foundation for Monterey County. In this campaign, local businesses, foundations, and individuals contribute to an Overall Match Fund that spurs donations for participating organizations. After the campaign ends, our council will receive 100% of our donations as well as an additional matching gift of the total funds raised! With these funds, our council plans to expand our Be a Better Sister patch program to empower girls to speak out and stand up against racial injustice and all other forms of discrimination.

How to participate: Maximize your gift with MCGives! and help us reach our goal of $75,000! To get started, visit www.montereycountygives.com/girlscouts, enter your donation amount, and click “Donate Now.” Don’t forget to share the news with a friend!

When it ends: Campaign ends on December 31, 2020.

GivingTuesday

What it is: #GivingTuesday is celebrated the first Tuesday following Thanksgiving and was created in 2012 as a day that encourages people to do good. Over the past seven years, it has grown into a global movement that inspires hundreds of millions of people to give, collaborate, and celebrate generosity. This year, we celebrate #GivingTuesday on December 1, 2020. Every $1 you donate on this day will become $2 thanks to the matching gift of a generous donor!

How to participate: Help us reach our #GivingTuesday goal of $20,000! On December 1^st, visit www.girlscoutsccc.org/donate, select “Donate,” and enter your donation amount on the populated page.

Find even more ways to give at https://www.girlscoutsccc.org/give. We can’t thank you enough for your continued support!