‘By Displaying a Heart of Generosity, a Godly Girl Can Open the Door to a Discussion About the Greatest Gift of All—the Birth of Christ and His Sacrifice on the Cross’
December 13, 2021
CINCINNATI, Ohio — Many Christians take the time during the Christmas season to give back to their local communities by donating gifts, volunteer time, or money to others in need. Recently, several reports show that the act of giving does not just benefit the recipient, but also the giver. One report states that the benefits of giving to others include less chronic pain, better sleep, higher levels of optimism, a more outgoing attitude, and less loneliness and stress.
While the physical benefits of altruism are certainly worth noting, American Heritage Girls (AHG, www.americanheritagegirls.org), oneof the world’s largest Christian, scout-type organizations, encourages their girls to foster a giving spirit for a more eternal impact.
Patti Garibay, founder and executive director of AHG, commented, “The Christmas season is always one full of giving, but we at American Heritage Girls encourage our girls to go beyond the physical act of giving and look for a more divine purpose. We hope that girls will give gifts and donate their time for the benefit of the kingdom of God.”
Garibay continued, “By displaying a heart of generosity, a godly girl can open the door to a discussion about the greatest gift of all—the birth of Christ and his sacrifice on the cross.”
AHG Troops are very familiar with the idea of giving, with Troops regularly performing service of all types within their communities year-round. In the last AHG Program Year ending May 30, 2021, AHG girls accomplished an impressive total of 417,295 service hours.
AHG also offers their prestigious Stars & Stripes Award, the highest recognition available to an American Heritage Girl. Those who earn this award put months of work into a leadership-building service project, which they plan, direct, and implement. Candidates gain a key understanding of the servant’s heart required to lead others with wisdom and humility—preparing them well for the responsibilities of adulthood. Achieving this Award consists of earning a minimum of 16 badges, holding a Girl Leadership Position, earning a Faith Award, and completing a life ambition essay and resume, all in addition to the major service project.
“AHG is proud to inspire young girls across the country to go out and give back to their communities with an eternal emphasis in mind,” Garibay stated.
American Heritage Girls was founded in 1995 by a group of parents who wanted this faith-based, scout-type character development program for their daughters. At AHG, girls ages five to 18 meet together as a single Troop at the same time and then break out into Units by Levels. This gives AHG girls the important social experience of interacting with friends and godly mentors of various ages; members also learn leadership skills within a group setting. AHG Troops are located in local communities across the nation. If none exists in a given area, families can bring the AHG Program to their own area. An American Heritage Girls Troop Development Coach is available to provide resources to potential Charter Organizations and other families to form a new Troop. To hear more about the purpose, mission, and vision of AHG from Founder and Executive Director Patti Garibay, click here.
Today, there are Troops in all 50 states and girls being served in 15 countries around the globe. Girls can join a Troop at any time; if a Troop is not available nearby, they can become a Trailblazer and enjoy the AHG program alongside their parent. A variety of Christian denominations are also represented as Charter Organizations for Troops. Thousands of volunteer members across the country are helping girls grow in their faith, cultivate a heart for service, enjoy the great outdoors, and have more fun than they can imagine.
The “Raising Godly Girls” radio feature and Raising Godly Girls blog shares guidance and biblically based advice on many key topics affecting girls today—including the prevalence of bullying and cyberbullying. It gives parents, educators, and faith community leaders a set of tools, resources, and Scripture-based advice to assist in raising girls after God’s own heart. The “Raising Godly Girls Minute” with Patti Garibay airs on 900+ Christian radio stations across the country.
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To schedule interviews with Patti Garibay, Founder and Executive Director of American Heritage Girls, contactMedia@HamiltonStrategies.com, Beth Harrison, 610.584.1096 ext. 105, or Deborah Hamilton, ext. 102.To inquire about airing the “Raising Godly Girls Minute” with Patti Garibay, contact Michael Hamilton, 610.584.1096, ext. 101.
