Juliette Low World Friendship Fund (JLWFF)

Letter from Debra Nakatomi, GSUSA’s International Commissioner

Juliette Gordon Low, the founder of Girl Scouting in the USA, loved to travel and had friends around the world. To honor her memory, the Juliette Low World Friendship Fund was established 80 years ago, and its effect on the lives of girls has been profound.

Sara, a 17-year-old Girl Scout who recently completed a service project in Mexico, simply and eloquently summed up how the trip changed her life. “I started as an observer,” she said, “and now I am a doer.”

But how are observers turned into doers? The goals of the JLWFF—to support international travel so girls become informed and productive global citizens, forge friendships with Girl Guides from World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts (WAGGGS) member countries (currently 144), and acquire an appreciation for the richness and diversity of people and cultures from around the world—is precisely how observers are turned into doers.

The JLWFF also contributes to the support of the WAGGGS World Centers in England, India, Mexico, and Switzerland, popular venues for leadership seminars and troop visits. Donations also are made to the World Thinking Day Fund, which encourages the development of Girl Guiding/ Girl Scouting in countries that are not yet member organizations. 

To continue to build the doers of the future, the decline in contributions to the JLWFF must be reversed—a challenge Girl Scouts of the USA is committed to meeting and one that I urge all friends of Girl Scouting to support.

For details on giving, visit: www.girlscouts.org/juliette_low_fund With your support, Girl Scouting will be better able to continue its mission of building girls of courage, confidence and character, who make the world a better place.

Yours truly,  Debra

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The Juliette Low World Friendship Fund was established in 1927 to honor the commitment of the founder of the Girl Scouts, Juliette Gordon Low, to the global sisterhood of Girl Guiding/Girl Scouting.

The Fund strengthens the Girl Scout Movement by supporting national and international efforts to serve girls and young women. Contributions made to the Fund will not only help girls in the U.S. connect with girls in other countries, but also advance the work of the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts (WAGGGS) and help strengthen its 144 Girl Guide/Girl Scout member organizations.

This fund is supported by donations from Girl Scouts all over America. Donations to this fund may be made as a troop, team or service unit effort. The monies are turned in to the local council, and then forwarded to GSUSA. All donations are used "for the promotion of Girl Guiding and Girl Scouting throughout the world as a contribution toward world peace and goodwill"; i.e. service projects, training, and international seminars and travel.

Specific Examples:

Compliance with Board Guidelines

In accordance with the guidelines set by the GSUSA National Board of Directors, at least 50 percent of the Fund must be used to provide travel opportunities for girls. In FY 2006, $166,676 (58 percent of the budget), supported girl travel opportunities, including funds for destinations (travelships), scholarships to WAGGGS and the administrative costs of the girl travel fund.

EXPENDITURES

Girl Travel Opportunities

More than $80,000 from the JLWFF supported WAGGGS sponsored events, from international Jamborees in Denmark, Iceland and Sweden, to friendship seminars at three of the World Centers (England, India, and Mexico). Girl Scouts living overseas also traveled to the United States to participate in destinations.

USA Girl Scouts Overseas

Nearly $5,000 from the JLWFF enabled representatives from Afghanistan, Belarus, Hungary, Iraq, Latvia, Lithuania and Ukraine to attend the annual training conference hosted by USA Girl Scouts Overseas– North Atlantic, held in Germany in March 2006. At this training, representatives develop skills and acquirethe knowledge to help build and expand the capacity of their associations.

WAGGGS: World Thinking Day Fund

World Thinking Day is celebrated every February 22, in honor of the joint birthday of Lord and Lady Baden-Powell. (Lord Baden-Powell and his sister, Agnes, founded Girl Guiding in England.) On this day, girls around the world participate in activities, games and projects with global themes to honor their sister Girl Guides and Girl Scouts in other countries. The Juliette Low World Friendship Fund makes an annual contribution of $100,000 to the WAGGGS World Thinking Day Fund. Contributions benefit girls around the world and extend Girl Guiding in many ways, including the following:

• international development projects
• program training and educational materials
• regional and sub-regional events and trainings
• relief work after natural disasters
• rural development projects

Juliette Low Leadership Seminars

A $9,000 contribution toward Juliette Low Seminars, held at two of the four World Centers every triennium, was made again in 2006. The Fund helps sponsor young women from around the world for these events, giving them the opportunity to expand their leadership skills while meeting young women from other countries. In August 2006, the Juliette Low Seminar was held at Sangam, India.

Scholarships to the Four World Centers

GSUSA allocated $12,000 for scholarships to the four World Centers ($3,000 to each) in FY 2006 to support girls’ attendance at events. These centers, owned and operated by WAGGGS, provide a multicultural setting for educational programs and affordable accommodations.

How to Give

Troops or service units—send donations directly to your local Girl Scout councils, not to Girl Scouts of the USA. Councils batch the donations and send them to the fund. Councils and the general public—send donations to:

Girl Scouts of the USA
Juliette Low World Friendship Fund
P.O. Box 19611A
Newark, NJ 07195-0611

Please make checks payable to Girl Scouts of the USA. Add JLWFF on the memo line to ensure the money is credited to the Juliette Low World Friendship Fund.

Mutual Aid:

- In 2005, the Guide Association of Dominica received $3000 to finance their 'Community Outreach' program, enabling them to recruit and retain members.
- In 2004, the Guide Associations in Grenada and Jamaica received $2000 each from GSUSA to help with repairs to their headquarters and purchase supplies following hurricane Ivan.
- In 2003, the Guide Association in Argentina received $6,068 to purchase essential office equipment.
- In 2002 GSUSA allocated $5,592 to the Guatemala Girl Guide Association to help train volunteers.
- In 2001 the Honduras Girl Guides received $4000 to purchase necessary office equipment.

International Travel:

Over $500,000 of the Fund has been spent from 2001 to 2005 to enable over 600 girls and young women to participate in inbound and outbound international events such as conferences, trainings and Studio 2B destinations events.

Juliette Low Seminars:

Every year, $11,000 is set aside for scholarships to these premier seminars at the Four World Centers. Held twice per triennium, these seminars help young women expand their leadership, communication, and fundraising skills while developing a sense of universal citizenship and appreciating cultural diversity.

Scholarships:

The Girl Scouts allocates $3000 annually to each of the Four World Centers in England, India, Mexico, and Switzerland to support girls' cost for attending World Center events. These centers provide a multicultural setting for educational programs.

World Thinking Day Fund:

GSUSA's annual contribution of $100,000 to this Fund, enables WAGGGS accomplish the following:
- Improve the quality of Girl Guiding/Girl Scouting through volunteer and staff training
- Extend the movement to girls and young women in areas where it is not yet established
- Expand partnerships with United Nations Agencies

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