The Girl Scouts of Eastern Massachusetts joins the world in expressing our deepest condolences to the more than nine million Haitian residents, the millions of Haitians living around the globe and everyone affected by this heart-wrenching tragedy. This is a tragedy which takes its toll on all of humanity.



It is at times like these that Girl Scouts throughout the world come together to take action to help those in need. In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, the National Board suspended the policy that prohibits Girl Scouts from raising money for other organizations and we are expecting that the the GSUSA board will take the same action quickly for Haiti relief. In the meantime, we are working with our staff and volunteers through local community efforts to assist in the relief effort. The need for help in Haiti is great and we can each respond in a personal way to provide whatever assistance we can.

With the theme of World Thinking Day on February 22 being 'ending extreme poverty and hunger", we have the opportunity to educate our girls about how their generosity, caring and acts of kindness can make the world a better place, especially in times of such extreme tragedy. As the Haitian people and their families begin the process of managing the aftermath of this catastrophic earthquake, we keep those affected in our prayers in the days and months ahead.