Spread Kindness Patch | Girl Scouts of Colonial Coast

A Girl Scout Community Service Project: Spread Kindness to the Earth!

This year’s Council-wide community service effort is green and global! From the time of our founding, Girl Scouts have cared deeply for nature and the environment. It’s where we camp, explore, and grow! From helping animals in need to planting trees or cleaning up beaches, there’s no limit to the ways you can spread kindness to the natural world around us.

Spread Kindness to the Earth! Earn the 2026 GSCCC Spread Kindness Patch

Earn the Spread Kindness Patch

This patch can be earned by Girl Scouts at all grade levels by completing a few activities to show kindness to the plants and animals of our community and our world!

LEARN MORE

Steps to Earn Your Patch toggle arrow

Girl Scouts of all grade levels can earn the 2026 GSCCC Spread Kindness Patch!

Download these steps as a PDF

With your troop, family, or friends, talk about environmental issues that are important to you, such as reducing pollution, protecting wildlife, or restoring native habitats.
Determine a way to be kind to the environment. You could pick up litter, create wildlife habitats, or plant native plants! You could also reach out to environmental organizations with ideas about how to help locally. Do something that is accessible to you and helps with the issue you discussed in Step 1.
Rally your team! Work with your troop, family, or friends to organize a time to work on your selected project. (There are also some council-sponsored events that qualify!)
1. Don’t forget that Cadettes, Seniors, and Ambassadors can log their hours for a Community Service Bar. After you have completed 20 hours of service, complete this survey.
2. Be sure take photos! Email your best snapshots to customercare@gsccc.org and we may share them on our website or social media.
Use what you learned about your selected issue to encourage others to be kind to the environment. You could give a presentation to a class at school, ask to hang up a poster at your local library, or share what you learned with your troop or family members.
Claim your patch! Fill out the post-program survey. (Patches will be $2 each.)

Spread Kindness projects should be completed October through December 2026. Surveys will be collected through January 2027, patches will be ordered by January 31, and we anticipate patches being delivered by the end of February (whoever submits the survey will be notified). Patches can be picked up at A Place for Girls in Chesapeake or from your service unit volunteers, depending on your selection on the survey.

Spread Kindness Events toggle arrow

Attending these Council-sponsored events can fulfill some (or all) of this year’s patch requirements!

Wolf Conservation Center Virtual Program
October 4, 2:00 - 3:00 p.m.
Join a Wolf expert from the Wolf Conservation Center to hear stories about protecting these magnificent animals and their environment, including information on wolf anatomy and physiology, habitats, their keystone role in their ecosystem, and the work the Wolf Conservation Center is doing to protect the endangered Red Wolf, a native species in our council!
All Levels, Family-Friendly
Register by September 23

Ghent Dog Park Community Service
October 18, 9:00 - 11:00 a.m.
Keeping pet waste out of the environment helps to Spread Kindness! Pet waste can pollute water supplies, attract pests, and is just plain gross to leave around! Girl Scouts can help the Ghent Dog Park Association to build dog waste bag boxes to encourage pet owners to keep the space clean. Plus, the boxes will be filled with reused grocery bags, giving them a second use and helping to keep more plastic out of landfills.
All Levels, Family-Friendly
Register by October 15

Harbor Park Clean-Up Community Service
October 24, 9:00 - 10:30 a.m.
After baseball season has ended for the year, let’s clean up the area to protect the Elizabeth River. Gloves, trash bags, and safety vests will be provided, so all you need to do is show up and help.
All Levels, Family-Friendly
Register by October 2

Stories of Kindness

Girl Scouts take action to make the world a better place. Browse these stories from our blog and prepare to be inspired!

Keeping Community Service in Focus

Troop 726 in Isle of Wight looks back on an inspiring year of fun and service.

Spreading Kindness to Seniors

Girl Scouts and their families brought cheer to local senior citizens last fall.

Spotlight on Food Insecurity

Girl Scouts are taking action to help our neighbors in need, and you can, too!

(Not a Girl Scout, but still want to Spread Kindness with us? Sign up for one of our free Discover Girl Scouts events to learn more about joining.)