Girl Scouts Heart of New Jersey Interview

Interview in Bridgewater, NJ with Girl Scouts Heart of New Jersey

Your top roofing company Fortified Roofing from Bridgewater, NJ recently spoke with Kristen Kraemer from Girl Scouts Heart of New Jersey (GSHNJ) situated in North Branch, New Jersey. We wanted to ask her some questions about the organization’s mission, work, and progress because we admire and support the work they do.

The organization has developed the leadership program for young girls which is helping them with discovering themselves through connecting with the community of girls and supporting mentors. GSHNJ has over hundred years experience what definitely isn’t a fact to ignore, and we wish them at least a hundred years more! Read about how their process looks in the following text, and always be a good example to young girls!

Introduction

To begin with, we would like you to briefly tell us a little about your organization.

Girl Scouts Heart of New Jersey (GSHNJ) believes in the power of every girl. Our leadership program is designed to help a girl discover who she is, what she can do, and connects her with a powerful community of girls and mentors to make it happen. With unique opportunities, Girl Scouts explore, learn, succeed and take action to make a difference in their community. With support from dedicated volunteers, parents, and staff, we are able to give nearly 18,000 girls an exceptional Girl Scout experience throughout Essex, Hudson, Hunterdon, Somerset, Union, southern Warren, and parts of Middlesex counties. We have Service Centers in Montclair, North Branch, and Westfield along with three camp properties: Camp Hoover in Middleville, NJ, Camp DeWitt in Hillsborough, NJ, and The OVAL in Maplewood, NJ. We aspire to deliver life-changing experiences as well as important life skills to all girls so that they may develop courage, confidence, and character. Girl Scouting is way more than just selling iconic cookies and camping. With the help of our dedicated volunteers, we teach girls about leadership, entrepreneurship, financial literacy, environmental awareness, and the importance of community service. Our girls collectively donate more than 300,000 community service hours each year, only making it more evident that what they do – and what we do – matters!

1. What do you do exactly?

Our mission is to build girls of courage, confidence, and character, who make the world a better place. We believe in the power of every G.I.R.L. (Go-getter, Innovator, Risk-taker, Leader)™ to change the world.

2. What motivates you?

Our girls are our biggest motivation. We are grateful to be able to provide quality programming and open a girl’s eyes to Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM), teach outdoor skills through our unique and various summer camp programs and opportunities, expose them to entrepreneurial experiences through our product programs, and challenging them to take action through our highest awards.

3. Tell us about your goals

This year, we are focusing on making Girl Scout programs accessible to more girls. Some of our goals include expanding the number of school and organizations we partner with, as well as serving more girls by expanding financial aid for camp opportunities and camp membership. Currently, we are working hard to form troops in the homeless shelter systems in our council, making Girl Scouts possible for girls whose mothers are incarcerated through Girl Scout Beyond Bars, and ensuring that programs are accessible to parents and girls who speak English as a second language.

4. What was the most fulfilling moment that happened to you?

We love being able to see a shy, reserved girl take the lead on a community service project and watching young women become fearless leaders. We also loved witnessing a girl who thought only boys were good at science program her own robot.

5. What separates you from the rest? Why you?

We are a well-rounded, girl-centric organization backed with over 100 years experience.

6. Do you have any upcoming events in the forthcoming months?

The Great Cookie Cook-Off on March 15, 2018, 6pm-8pm at Shackamaxon Country Club

Young Women of Vision on May 16, 2018, 8am-10am at Basking Ridge Country Club

7. What is it that you love most about what you do?

Watching girls take the lead, grow in confidence, discover their strengths, and witnessing them make life-long friendships with fellow Girl Scouts and mentors.

8. What is the biggest challenge you’re faced with today?

Being able to reach all of the areas we serve with our programming

9. Contact: How can people reach out to you?

Girl Scouts Heart of New Jersey

908-518-4400
info@gshnj.org
1171 Route 28, North Branch, NJ 08876
Social Media: @gsheartofnj