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Girl Scouts of Nassau County Celebrates 20th Anniversary of Operation Cookie by Delivering 65,000 Packages of Cookies to Troops, Community Heroes

LongIsland.com

Operation Cookie and Hometown Heroes Initiative Receives Overwhelming Support for its 20th Anniversary.

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Girl Scouts and CEO of Girl Scouts of Nassau County Rande Bynum passing boxes of Girl Scout cookies to pack into the DHL Express truck.

Girl Scouts of Nassau County (GSNC), in partnership with DHL Express, shipped nearly 65,000 care packages of Girl Scout Cookies® to U.S. military personnel stationed both abroad and on Long Island, as well as local first responders. This was made possible through the generous acts of community members who went above and beyond to purchase additional cookies through the GSNC’s 20th annual Operation Cookie/Hometown Heroes program. Girl Scouts from across Nassau County teamed up with local officials and dedicated volunteers to help provide a warm send off a portion of the care packages, which were loaded into DHL’s truck to be shipped around the globe. The program serves as a heartfelt thank you to U.S. service members and vital community workers like doctors, nurses, police officers, EMTs, and firefighters, offering them a comforting reminder of home.

"Operation Cookie is more than a sweet treat. It’s a powerful way for Girl Scouts to learn about gratitude, service and making a difference in the lives of others. Every cookie represents a heartfelt ‘thank you’ from our Girl Scouts and the community to the brave individuals protecting our freedom,” said Rande Bynum, CEO of GSNC. "We’d like to once again send our utmost appreciation and thanks to DHL Express and to all who have contributed Operation Cookie over the last 20 years. This incredible partnership has allowed us to send over 1.25 million packages of Girl Scout Cookies to service members around the globe.

Since being launched in 2005 in partnership with DHL Express, the Operation Cookie/Hometown Heroes program has exceeded its growing support each year with over 1,250,000 packages delivered to U.S. military personnel and local first responders, while also allowing Girl Scouts to understand the power and importance of giving back to those who serve and provide for them. These cookies have reached servicemen and women all around the world, including locations such as Afghanistan, Bahrain, Djibouti, Iraq, Kuwait, Japan, Germany, Poland, and so many more military bases across the map. The U.S. Merchant Marine Academy at Kings Point, U.S. Marines base in Garden City, and Jones Beach Coast Guard stations are all local locations who have also received deliveries.  (if you’d like, please add:

The Hometown Heroes program assists these efforts by recognizing the important roles of local essential workers and first responders, with this year's distribution including hospitals, police departments, and a blood bank among the recipients of Girl Scout Cookies®.

“It’s been an honor to support Operation Cookie over the past two decades, using our global shipping network to deliver meaningful gifts of appreciation to those who serve others,” said Pawel Zagaja, Senior Director of JFK Gateway, DHL Express. “At DHL, our mission is to connect people and improve lives—and this initiative helps us do exactly that by honoring the sacrifices made by our military and first responders and reminding them that they hold a special place in our hearts.”

U.S. Military service members and local first responders will be treated to classic Girl Scout Cookie flavors when receiving their shipments, including Thin Mints, Trefoils, and Tagalongs among the selection. For more details about Operation Cookie and Hometown Heroes, please visit www.gsnc.org

We Are Girl Scouts: Girl Scouts bring their dreams to life and work together to build a better world. Through programs in Nassau County, across Long Island, and from coast to coast, Girl Scouts of all backgrounds and abilities can be unapologetically themselves as they discover their strengths and rise to meet new challenges—whether they want to climb to the top of a tree or the top of their class, lace up their boots for a hike or advocate for climate justice, or make their first best friends. Backed by trusted adult volunteers, mentors, and millions of alum, Girl Scouts lead the way as they find their voices and make changes that affect the issues most important to them. To join, volunteer, reconnect, or donate, visit girlscouts.org.

DHL – The logistics company for the world

DHL is the leading global brand in the logistics industry. Our DHL divisions offer an unrivalled portfolio of logistics services ranging from national and international parcel delivery, e-commerce shipping and fulfillment solutions, international express, road, air and ocean transport to industrial supply chain management. With approximately 400,000 employees in more than 220 countries and territories worldwide, DHL connects people and businesses securely and reliably, enabling global sustainable trade flows. With specialized solutions for growth markets and industries including technology, life sciences and healthcare, engineering, manufacturing & energy, auto-mobility and retail, DHL is decisively positioned as “The logistics company for the world”.

DHL is part of DHL Group. The Group generated revenues of approximately 84.2 billion euros in 2024. With sustainable business practices and a commitment to society and the environment, the Group makes a positive contribution to the world. DHL Group aims to achieve net-zero emissions logistics by 2050.