IN THE NEWS
A troop made up of homeless girls is on a mission to sell Girl Scout cookies in all 50 states
Article: CNN
February 27, 2021
The Girl Scouts of Troop 64224, seen here with Beth Shelton, CEO of Girl Scouts of Greater Iowa, sold more than 5,000 cookies, even though the girls live in an emergency shelter.
The Girl Scouts of Troop 64224, seen here with Beth Shelton, CEO of Girl Scouts of Greater Iowa, sold more than 5,000 cookies, even though the girls live in an emergency shelter.
(CNN)When one troop of Girl Scouts in Iowa was given the goal of selling more than 1,000 boxes of cookies, the girls put on their signature sashes and got to work, flexing their entrepreneurial skills.
As of Feb. 26, the girls in Troop 64224 of Council Bluffs, Iowa, have sold over 5,000 boxes of cookies, shattering its sales goal for the 2021 cookie selling season. And it's all in spite of one large obstacle.
The girls in the troop live in an emergency homeless shelter known as Micah House.
The Girl Scouts of Troop 64224 passing out boxes of cookies to a customer.
"You can really see when they've got their sash or their vest on there is a sense of pride and belonging to something that is so respected," Beth Shelton, CEO of Girl Scouts of Greater Iowa said. "That's always sacred and important for kids, but I think particularly during this pandemic."
The Girl Scouts of Troop 64224 passing out boxes of cookies to a customer.
They also met another goal of selling to customers in all 50 states, and Washington, DC, Kayla Terrillion, a child program specialist at Micah House, told CNN.
Even amid the Covid-19 pandemic, no challenge has proved too big for the troop. In fact, the push to online sales has been a boon for the troop. Terrillion said moving sales primarily online because of the virus helped get the word out for cookie sales. Members of the community -- and beyond -- have been able to order cookies online and pick them up or have them delivered, helping Troop 64224 reach its goal of selling cookies nationwide.
"Having everything on social media this year is completely different, especially for the girls," Terrillion with Micah House said.
The troop size fluctuates depending on the number of families living at the shelter. The young girls ranging in from ages five to eight years old are not only thrilled about being Girl Scouts, but surpassing their goals is something the troop takes pride in.
These scouts are described as not only enthusiastic, but entrepreneurial. With about a month left to go on cookie season, this troop will keep selling.
"Like any smart businesswomen, they're going to be taking a look at those goals and reassessing," Shelton said. "They've got it figured out."
Micah House's Girl Scout troop began in 2018. About 30% of the 11,000 girls who are members of the Girl Scouts of Greater Iowa are a part of the free or reduced lunch program. Despite any financial issues girls living there face, they are given a free Girl Scout membership, Shelton said. The money from their cookie sales stays local and goes toward activities for the scouts such as field trips.
Woman at Micah House shelter making best of a bad situation
Article: KMTV
A local woman is using her skills to help homeless women during the pandemic by designing one-of-a-kind face masks.
Deborah Walker loves to draw and paint. She's pretty good at it too.
“I've just always been really good at art and I enjoy it and I’ve studied all kinds of art videos and I was just very good at it,” she said.
Deborah is now using those art skills to design face masks. She even made one for the place she's called home since August, the Micah House in Council Bluffs.
Read more here.
Council Bluffs’ MICAH House changes plans for Halloween fun
Article: WOWT
Kids staying at the MICAH House got to trick-or-treat a little early this year when the homeless shelter switched up its Halloween celebration in the name of safety.
Typically, the kids at the shelter would trick-or-treat around the Charles Lakin Campus where the MICAH House is located.
But this is no typical year.
“We still wanted the give the kids something to look forward to in a safe way,” said Ashley Flater with MICAH House. "We know the families are going through a really hard time so we just want to give the kids a bit of normalcy during such a weird time.”
Read more here.
Council Bluffs homeless shelter helping children with schooling
Article: WOWT
Living in a homeless shelter is hard enough. Add in juggling school during a pandemic - it becomes overwhelming.
The MICAH House in Council Bluffs is helping families with their children’s schoolwork during these difficult times.
“I have notes,” said Kayla Terrillion, child program specialist with the MICAH House. The notes help her keep everything organized.
“Approximately 38 kids total right now in our shelter. 27 of them are school-aged kids,” she said.
Read more here.
MICAH House expands shelter, health services after $3.6M campaign
Story: KETV
“Very hard realizing at my age that I was homeless, and she was there for me, the staff was there for me,” said Robin Countryman, a MICAH House resident.
Robin and Jessica are just two of the women who have utilized MICAH House's newest women's shelter since it opened in early January 2019. With services like an on-site therapist and health care clinic, women are able to receive the services they need to get back on their feet.
LAKIN FOUNDATION DONATES $500,000 to
SHELTER REIMAGINED CAMPAIGN
article and photos: The DAILY NONPAREIL
The Charles E. Lakin Foundation has awarded $500,000 to the MICAH House in Council Bluffs for a new 1,100-square-foot health care clinic at the homeless shelter in honor of Florence M. Lakin.
It will include three exam rooms that will offer medical and dental services. The daily operations of the clinic will be managed by All Care Health Center and will benefit hundreds of homeless individuals and community members each year.
Read more here.
Micah House announces $3.6 million expansion
article and photos: the daily nonpareil
MICAH House will expand its services for homeless single women and families, including strengthening its medical services.
The nonprofit organization announced the public phase of its Shelter Reimagined campaign to raise $3.6 million for a shelter expansion and additional services on Thursday.
“This campaign provides momentum, moving MICAH House forward, and allows us to offer more resources and a one-of-a-kind shelter for hundreds of women experiencing homelessness right here in our community,” said MICAH House Executive Director Jaymes Sime. "It’s going to do tremendous things for the folks we serve."
Read more here.
Council Bluffs homeless shelter to start Girl Scout Troop; 'Our doors are open and we love cookies!'
Article and Photo: The Omaha World Herald
Girls staying at a Council Bluffs homeless shelter soon will have the opportunity to be Girl Scouts, complete with the sash, the badges and the cookie sales.
The idea to start a troop at Micah House developed in July, when executive director Jaymes Sime read an article in the New York Times. The story was about a Girl Scout troop expanding to 15 homeless shelters across New York City.
Read more here.
buddy program: play the stress away
Article and PhotoS: The Omaha World Herald
The Buddy Program began in the fall as a way to structure playtime for kids experiencing the stresses of living in the shelter.
For two hours on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays, while many of the parents are in classes on budgeting and job skills, children 7 and younger get to go hang out with “buddies” — volunteers trained in what Kayla Terrillion calls “trauma-informed play,” which includes everything from crafts to kid-friendly yoga poses.
Read more here.
NEW CLASS TEACHES POSITIVE THINKING
ARTICLE: KETV OMAHA
A new class at MICAH House goes above and beyond the typical finance and job help. It's teaching those in need to have a new positive outlook on life.
Executive director at MICAH House, Jaymes Sime, knows the impact of homelessness firsthand. He and his family were homeless when Sime was a child. "There's a lot of stigma. There's a lot of judgement on the homeless population, and they let that become their reality," Sime said. "I've carried that with me into this job, and I share that experience with the folks that are taking the class, and I say, 'You know, this is temporary. You know, if I can change the way you think, I can change the way you act. And if I can change the way you act, I can change your life outcome.'"
That's why Sime worked to develop a new 90-minute motivational class he calls Transformation Thursday.
Read more here.
MICAH House Fundraiser Boosted by Added "Gems"
Article: the daily nonpareil
The MICAH House raised a record $94,400 at its 20th annual Champagne and Diamonds fundraiser May 6 at the Mid-America Center — and discovered a couple more gems. “We are very excited about the success,” said Jaymes Sime, executive director at the emergency family shelter.
Guests watched the Kentucky Derby together and enjoyed food and drinks. They also got to shop at silent and live auctions.
Finally, it was time to determine who would win a diamond in the traditional raffle. At stake was a diamond necklace valued at $1,500. As numerical sequences were eliminated, ticket holders sat down.
Read more here.
Grant to help MICAH House feed homeless families
Article: The Daily Nonpareil
MICAH House officials have announced a one-year grant recently awarded from Conagra Brands Foundation that will benefit more than 850 individuals.
Conagra Brands Foundation funding will enable MICAH House to continue to provide three meals a day to families experiencing the crisis of homelessness. In 2016, MICAH House served 30,599 meals to 415 adults and 482 children.
“We truly appreciate the support of Conagra Brands Foundation,” said Jaymes Sime, MICAH House Executive Director. “These funds will allow MICAH House to provide meals to homeless families right here in our community."
Read more here.
