About the Girl Scouts of San Jacinto Council

Girl Scouts of the USA (GSUSA) is the world's preeminent organization for girls, with a membership of more than 3.5 million girls and adults. Today, as when founded in 1912, GSUSA helps cultivate values, social conscience, and self esteem in young girls, while also teaching them critical life skills that will enable them to succeed as adults. In Girl Scouting-and its special girl-only environment-girls discover the fun, friendship and power of girls together.

Founding Data

Girl Scouts of San Jacinto Council was founded by Mrs. F. M. Law and Miss Corinne Fonde in 1922 in Houston.

GSSJC Current Board of Directors

Jurisdiction

Girl Scouts of San Jacinto Council serves 26 counties in Southeast Texas, including: Angelina, Brazoria, Chambers, Fort Bend, Galveston, Hardin, Harris, Houston, Jasper, Jefferson, Liberty, Matagorda, Montgomery, Nacogdoches, Newton, Orange, Polk, Sabine, San Augustine, San Jacinto, Shelby, Trinity, Tyler, Walker, Waller and Wharton.

Administration

Girl Scouts of San Jacinto Council is governed by a board of directors made up of community leaders dedicated to helping girls reach their full potential. The chair of the board and president of the Council is Ellen DeSanctis, and the CEO is Mary Vitek.

Membership

Girl Scouts of San Jacinto Council is a community-based organization with more than 65,000 girl members and 17,000 adult members. Membership is open to all girls in kindergarten through 12th grade, and to both women and men who subscribe to the Girl Scout Promise and Law.

Mission Statement

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

Pluralism Statement

Embracing and promoting pluralism is an integral part of every activity and plan of Girl Scouts of San Jacinto Council, not disconnected or separate projects. Only individuals willing to accept and be educated about the basic tenet that Girl Scouting is for all girls may serve in volunteer leadership or staff positions.

GSSJC IRS Form 990

Our most recent IRS Form 990 can be found at www.guidestar.org.

United Way Support

Girl Scouts of San Jacinto Council values our partnership with the United Way organization, not only for the financial support that helps develop girls’ leadership skills, but also for the collaborative synergy amongst the partner agencies.

GSSJC currently receives support from:

United Way of Greater Houston, United Way of the Baytown Area, United Way of Beaumont & North Jefferson County, Nacogdoches County United Way, United Way of Walker County, United Way of Angelina County, United Way of Orange County, United Way of the Greater Jasper Area, Montgomery County United Way, United Way of Galveston, Matagorda County United Way, Brazoria County United Way and United Way Galveston County Mainland.

GSSJC Statement on Sexual Education

One of our core values at Girl Scouts is to be inclusive. We offer membership to all girls and adult volunteers without regard to practice or opinion on social issues. Accordingly, our membership consists of a cross-section of America with differing views on sensitive issues. However, as it pertains to the sensitive matter of sexual education, reproductive rights and related topics, we strongly believe that these topics are best decided and discussed between girls and their families. If a troop wishes to address these topics in a Girl Scouting environment, there is a strict policy in place for doing so. The policy specifies that participation is optional and that a parent or guardian provide written consent for participation. When or if consent is obtained, topics are presented from a factual, informative point of view and expressly exclude advocacy or promotion of any social or political agenda. Lack of adherence to these guidelines is considered a breach of our program intent.