As government officials debate how to handle the influx of new arrivals, the Girl Scouts — whose Troop 6000 has served kids who live in the shelter system since 2017 — are quietly welcoming hundreds of the city’s youngest new residents with the support of donations.

Girl Scout cookies are here!

The most delicious time of year is here -- Girl Scout cookie season is underway here in Jacksonville! Here to share this year’s cookie lineup (and where you can get your hands on all your favorites) is Girl Scouts of Gateway Council CEO, Mary Anne Jacobs.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Parents claim a man tried to lure two 5-year-old girls into an SUV over the weekend in a Jacksonville neighborhood. On Saturday afternoon, Girl Scouts were selling cookies at a community fair inside the Holiday Hill Baptist Church parking lot when a man walked up and said he wanted to purchase a $5 box of cookies, according to one of the parents. The woman said she discreetly followed the man to see how far away he parked from the church. “Unfortunately, we live in a world where there are entities that will try to harm people, especially children,” said Holiday Hill Baptist Pastor Albert Byrd. “We’ve got to do everything in our power to protect our kids,” said Holiday Hill resident Bre Cherry.

But like so many businesses, the Girl Scouts are adjusting their business model to fit the needs of people in the community during the pandemic. This year you’ll also find drive-thru cookie booths, virtual cookie booths and, of course, booths outside your local store with new safety protocols. 📣The 2021 Girl Scout Cookie season is here and many Girl Scouts are selling in creative, socially distant, and contact-free ways to keep themselves and their customers safe. Across the council’s territory, cookie fans can order Girl Scout Cookies for pickup or delivery on Grubhub.com or the Grubhub app. A hands-on experience in managing e-commerce, local Girl Scouts will track and fulfill orders, manage inventory, and more, all using Grubhub’s back-end technology.

Girl Scout cookie season is here, which means it’s time to stock up on our favorite cookies (anyone else love themself a good Thin Mint?) and make them last long enough until they’re on sale again.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Girl Scout cookie season is upon us and Friday morning local Girl Scout troops lined up to pack their cars filled with cases of cookies. Due to the pandemic, the Girl Scouts have come up with innovative ways to safely distribute cookies. 📣The 2021 Girl Scout Cookie season is here and many Girl Scouts are selling in creative, socially distant, and contact-free ways to keep themselves and their customers safe. Starting February 1, you will be able to order Girl Scout cookies on GrubHub. A hands-on experience in managing e-commerce, local Girl Scouts will track and fulfill orders, manage inventory, and more, all using Grubhub’s back-end technology.

But on Monday, the Girl Scouts of Gateway Council, which is the body that runs all Girl Scout groups in North Florida, withdrew its plans for a change in future land use. But the County Commission was still required to discuss it because it was on the agenda and multiple neighbors planned to attend. The plan for the Girl Scouts was to sell the land to a company called Ancient City Land Management. Now, the Girl Scouts of Gateway Council isn't sure what to do next. She said the Girl Scouts own five camps and the camp in Middleburg is the only one not owned outright.