The Girl Scouts of the Southern Appalachians’ Business Bosses Supporting Cookie Bosses program is underway now to provide professionals an easy way to support the community’s youngest entrepreneurs.

Through the program, Girl Scout cookies can be purchased or donated in bulk, and local businesses can sign up to host a cookie booth, including a drive-through option.

“Being a Cookie Boss exposes girls to leadership and entrepreneurship at a young age,” said Lynne Fugate, CEO of the Girl Scouts of the Southern Appalachians. “These girls gain confidence and learn key business skills as they run their cookie businesses, and now the Business Bosses Supporting Cookie Bosses program can connect them with local business owners.”

Through March 21, businesses can visit www.iwantcookies.org to order Girl Scout cookies by the case to thank employees, clients and customers with a box of cookies. Each case includes 12 boxes of an assortment of cookies and ranges in price from $48-$60. A local Cookie Boss will contact the business to coordinate logistics and payment. Businesses also can donate boxes of cookies to frontline workers, food pantries or other organizations in need, and the Cookie Bosses will handle delivery on their behalf.

Local businesses can support the Cookie Bosses by signing up at www.iwantcookies.org to host a cookie booth. The date and time will be listed on the Girl Scouts of the Southern Appalachians’ cookie ordering page.

“Business leaders in our community can be great mentors as Girl Scouts learn how to run successful cookie businesses,” Fugate said. “Our hope is that this program will evolve to create more opportunities that connect today’s business professionals with the next generation of leaders and entrepreneurs in the Girl Scouts.”