Girl Scout Troop 6000 is the first in New York City that is designated solely for homeless girls, all of whom live at a commercial hotel, the Sleep Inn in Queens—ten floors of which are used by the city to accommodate about 100 homeless families.
Homelessness in New York City is “currently at levels not seen since the Great Depression” says Jezebel’s Julianne Escobedo Shepherd but this story “serves as a reminder of human resilience and the importance of community, close evidence of what is at risk if we don’t fight against inequity in our city and beyond.”
Girl Scout Troop 6000 consists of about 20 young girls who meet in a “makeshift conference room in the Sleep Inn and earn their badges and learn about leadership and community reciprocity just as any Girl Scout Troop would,” reports Nikita Stewart. While rare, troops for homeless girls are not unheard of.
“In the past 30 years, troops have formed in shelters in Atlanta; Broward County, Fla.; and San Pedro, Calif. At one point during the 1990s, a number of untraditional troops were created to reach girls in shelters, migrant worker camps and public housing,” notes Stewart.
Currently, The Girl Scouts of Greater New York is covering the troop’s costs, which include a $25 membership fee; a $75 starter kit of patches, pins, workbooks and vests; and $20 in monthly dues.
Donations are welcome.