Girl Scouts of Western New York is proud to announce Alyssa Chatham of Buffalo, NY, as a 2021 Gold Award Girl Scout. Alyssa is from Troop 30875 and has been a member of Girl Scouts for 9 years.

What Alyssa said about Girl Scouts

Girl Scouts has created a major impact on my life in that I was able to pursue new experiences and help out my community directly.

Project: Little Pantry Hygiene Drive

My Gold Award project took place in Buffalo, NY. I worked with the 716 Little Pantry in collecting helpful hygiene bags to leave for those in need. We collected donations virtually for everyone’s safety and to purchase the necessary materials for most of the donations.

Through raising funds I was able to create hygiene bags that I donated to the pantry that are free to the local community for those in need. The bags contain a toothbrush, toothpaste, shampoo, deodorant, a bar of soap, Chapstick, a comb, and floss.

I selected my project because I wanted to find something that I could give back to my local community’s benefit. Many people donate to the food pantry but this results in an overflow of some items, while other much-needed items remain unaddressed.

About the Gold Award

The Gold Award project is the culmination of all the work a girl puts into “going for the Gold.” A Girl Scout’s project should be something that a girl can be passionate about—in thought, deed, and action that encompasses organizational, leadership, and networking skills. The project should also fulfill a need within a girl’s community (whether local or global) and create change that has the potential to be on-going or sustainable. Approximately 80 hours of community service are involved in the project. Completion of the Gold Award also qualifies the Girl Scout for special scholarship opportunities and she can enlist in the military at a higher starting pay grade.

The Girl Scout Gold Award, the most prestigious award in the world for girls, acknowledges the power behind each recipient’s dedication to not only empowering and bettering herself, but also to making the world a better place for others. These young women are courageous leaders and visionary change makers.

The Gold Award requires a Girl Scout to identify an issue and investigate it to understand what can be done to address the problem. The girl then forms a team to act as a support system, including a project advisor close to the issue who is not a troop leader or family member, while she leads the project. The Girl Scout creates a plan to ensure they know what steps they must tackle while working on the project. The Girl Scout submits a proposal for her project to her local Girl Scout council. After acceptance, the girl begins to work through the steps of their plan utilizing the assistance of her support team where necessary. Lastly, the project is used to educate and inspire others about the cause they are addressing.

For more information on the Gold Award, click here.