Girl Scouts of the USA and Nestle USA Team Up to Relaunch Girl Scouts' GirlSports Initiative

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Sep 12, 2013, 01:22 ET

NEW YORK, Sept. 12, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Girl Scouts of the USA (GSUSA) is relaunching its GirlSports initiative and is proud to announce Nestle USA as the inaugural GirlSports sponsor. GSUSA and Nestle USA are proud to continue Girl Scouts' century-long legacy of committing to girls' leadership by actively engaging millions of girls in sports, nutrition, and healthy living.

Since 1912, Juliette Gordon Low, founder of Girl Scouts, believed that health, nutrition, and fitness were essential to the Girl Scout experience. Girl Scouts hiked, played basketball, went on camping trips, and were encouraged to prepare healthy meals. We recognize now more than ever that we need to engage girls through sports and healthy living. We know that girls who play sports earn better grades, develop more confidence, and get more involved in their communities.

"Today's youth have been raised indoors, away from the physical activity that was so common just a generation ago," said Anna Maria Chavez, CEO of Girl Scouts of the USA. "GirlSports is about reminding girls of the importance of staying active and staying fit, and teaching them how they can have fun in the process."

The GirlSports initiative has been around for decades and utilizes the Legacy Athlete badge program to connect girls to health, leadership, learning, and teamwork through sports. Girls also earn five age-appropriate badges that teach them about fair play, practicing with a purpose, good sportsmanship, cross-training, and coaching.

In collaboration with Nestle USA, we created the new GirlSports booklet, which illustrates and explains the existing sports programming and/or healthy-living initiatives of each council, and provides councils with a turnkey asset to engage donors and recruit girls, parents, schools, and others in the community. This new 12-page booklet also highlights our current program offerings for girls in sports through the five athletic badge offerings, the Make Your Own badge, and online activities on our website ForGirls.GirlScouts.org.

"Nestle USA is proud to be Girl Scouts of the USA's inaugural GirlSports sponsor," says Kenneth W. Bentley, vice president of community affairs & educational programs. "At Nestle USA, we are committed to delivering 'Good Food, Good Life' to communities nationwide. The GirlSports program is one of many ways we support this message. Our partnership will encourage girls to take a holistic approach to health by playing sports, eating healthy, and building self-esteem."

With GirlSports, Girl Scouts continues the mission of inspiring girls to achieve leadership roles in all aspects of society, helping them get there through sports and the leadership skills they learn in the process—no matter what paths they choose.

About Girl Scouts of the USA
Founded in 1912, Girl Scouts of the USA is the preeminent leadership development organization for girls, with 3.2 million girl and adult members worldwide. Girl Scouts is the leading authority on girls' healthy development, and builds girls of courage, confidence, and character, who make the world a better place. The organization serves girls from every corner of the United States and its territories. Girl Scouts of the USA also serves American girls and their classmates attending American or international schools overseas in 90 countries. For more information on how to join, volunteer or reconnect with, or donate to Girl Scouts, call 800-GSUSA-4-U (212-852-8000) or visit www.girlscouts.org.

About Nestle USA
Named one of "The World's Most Admired Food Companies" in Fortune magazine for sixteen consecutive years, Nestle provides quality brands and products that bring flavor to life every day. From nutritious meals with Lean Cuisine^® to baking traditions with Nestle^® Toll House^®, Nestle USA makes delicious, convenient, and nutritious food and beverage products that make good living possible. That's what "Nestle. Good Food, Good Life" is all about. Nestle USA, with 2012 sales of $10 billion, is part of Nestle S.A. in Vevey, Switzerland—the world's largest food company with a commitment to nutrition, health, and wellness—with 2012 sales of $98 billion. For product news and information, visit Nestleusa.com or Facebook.com/NestleUSA.