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Girl Scouts troop returns $100,000 from transphobic donor and raises three times as much
The Girl Scouts of Western Washington were initially thrilled when they received a $100,000 pledge – enough to send 500 girls to camp.
But it turns out the money came with strings attached.
Chief Executive Officer Megan Ferland received a letter from the donor which read: ‘Please guarantee that our gift will not be used to support transgender girls. If you can’t, please return the money.’
Ferland will not reveal the identity of the donor but she knew this was money the group could not keep.
‘Girl Scouts is for every girl,’ Ferland tells Seattle Met. ‘And every girl should have the opportunity to be a Girl Scout if she wants to.’
To make up for the $100,000 they turned away, the group launched an IndieGoGo crowdfunding effort this week and in the first three days, the campaign has raised more than $307,000 with donations coming from 6,480 people.
In a video on the crowdfunding page, the group states: ‘Girl Scouts empowers EVERY girl regardless of her gender identity, socioeconomic status, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, to make the world a better place.’
With what has been raised so far, the group has raised enough money for 1,500 girls to join their troop and to be able to go to camp. Each additional $50,000 raised supports 250 more girls.
‘We are incredibly humbled and thrilled to see so many people from across the globe support this campaign,’ the group states.
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Greg Hernandez
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