AHG Continues to Build Young Women of Integrity Through Its Time-Tested Program of Service and Outdoor-Adventure
July 6, 2021
CINCINNATI, Ohio — With so many strides made against the coronavirus in this country—and as Americans of all ages reconnect with family, friends and community from coast to coast—American Heritage Girls (AHG, www.americanheritagegirls.org) stands poised for growth throughout 2021. AsAmerica’s premier faith-based, scout-type leadership development program for girls and young women ages five to 18, AHG offers hands-on badge programs, service projects, leadership opportunities, outdoor adventures, and much more, all with an emphasis on Christian values and family participation.
“Our program not only survived the pandemic—a time of shutdown and isolation for so many across our country—but we are now seeing renewed interest in membership as well as record-breaking Troop development inquiries,” said AHG Founder and Executive Director Patti Garibay. “Girls need community and connection more than ever. We know this is key.”
Interestingly, the Boy Scouts of America and the Girl Scouts of the USA are experiencing dramatic declines in memberships, partly due to the pandemic but partly due to social trends that have been shrinking their ranks for quite some time, the Associated Press reported last week. This has not been the case for American Heritage Girls—which was able to pivot smartly during the pandemic with reimagined programming and is now seeing a resurgence in inquiries.
“Parents have been able to reflect on what’s most important for their children—and many are realizing that AHG is a perfect fit for both their families and their values,” said Garibay.
At AHG, girls ages five to 18 meet together as a single Troop at the same time. This gives girls the important social experience of interacting with both friends and godly mentors; members also learn leadership skills within a group setting. Individual Troops have the flexibility to set their own meeting time and calendar in order to meet the needs of the families involved. Troops vary in size, with some as few as 12 girls—while some are larger (the average Troop size is 35-40 girls). Dedicated adult volunteers lead the Troops while also incorporating girls’ valuable input.
AHG Troops are located in local communities across the nation. And if none exists in a given area, then families can bring the AHG Program to their own area. An American Heritage Girls Troop Development Coach is available to answer questions and provide helpful resources to potential Charter Organizations and other families in order to form a new Troop.
Said one AHG member who earned the Stars & Stripes Award—the highest honor available to AHG participants—“American Heritage Girls has made an incredible impact on my life. It has made me into a woman of God as well as a leader, a public speaker, and an ambassador for Christ.”
AHG’s mission is to build women of integrity through service to God, family, community, and country. Itis dedicated to providing authentic, positive, and values-driven character and leadership development opportunities and outdoor adventure for girls across the nation.
American Heritage Girls was founded in 1995 by a group of parents who wanted a faith-based, scout-type character development program for their daughters. American Heritage Girls across the nation and the globe participate in badge programs, service projects, leadership opportunities, and outdoor experiences, all with an emphasis on Christian values and family involvement.
In addition to the biblically based parenting advice shared in the Raising Godly Girls blog and Raising Godly Girls radio features that are heard on 770 radio stations, American Heritage Girls provides a community experience in a Troop setting. Girls benefit from Christ-centered friendships and mentors to assist them in becoming godly girls.
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.
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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.
