‘One thing that sets AHG apart is their dedication to raising godly girls of character through service projects and volunteering as well as unique programming and offerings."
American Heritage Girls (AHG), one of the largest Christian, scout-type organizations in the world, has been a beacon for Christ-centered, girl-focused scouting for nearly 30 years.
In order to incorporate faith in Troop meetings and activities, AHG offers two unique Creed Devotion Guides that look at historical figures who embody the aspects of the AHG Creed: “As an American Heritage Girl, I promise to be compassionate, helpful, honest, loyal, perseverant, pure, resourceful, respectful, responsible, and reverent.” These guides provide a springboard for Troops to stay true to AHG’s biblical foundations and remind girls how to live for Christ and set goals to follow Him and His Word.
“AHG believes that making Jesus the center of everything is the only way to build a life of integrity, because it is only in His truth that you can stand without faltering or compromising,” said AHG Founder and Executive Director Patti Garibay. “In order to teach girls the value of a strong faith background, we love to show them how great biblical and spiritual leaders of the past made their mark on history and advanced the kingdom of God.”
Each devotion includes a supply list for needed materials and related activities. Activities can be done as a whole Troop or as a take-home activity to connect families with the Troop. AHG also offers fun activities like “AHG Creed Card Dash” games as an interactive way for girls to learn key Christian values.
The results of this Christ-centered programming speak for themselves. Throughout AHG’s 2022-2023 program year, Troops served a total of 590,720 service hours — the equivalent of 67.43 years of service completed in just one year! In the same year, 7,945 girls were recognized for their dedication to nurturing their relationships with Jesus through AHG’s Faith Award Program.
“AHG girls are taking the valuable life lessons modeled by Christian leaders and implementing them into their daily lives,” noted Garibay. “By engaging in community service and giving back to their communities, girls are learning firsthand how to live a life that honors Christ. The Bible and the experiences of the faithful are full of encouraging messages from the lives of people who have lived before us. None of them lived perfect lives, but God used what they openly offered to change the world. It is our prayer that girls follow in their footsteps in their personal walks with the Lord. The deeper we understand and embrace God’s plan for our lives, the more our hearts desire to know more about Him and live life in accordance with His Word.”
Check this week’s Raising Godly Girls (RGG) podcast to learn more about Christian service and advocacy through AHG.
American Heritage Girls was founded in 1995 by a group of parents who wanted this faith-based, scout-type character development program for their daughters. At AHG, girls ages five to 18 meet together as a single Troop at the same time and then break out into Units by Levels. This gives AHG girls the important social experience of interacting with friends and godly mentors of various ages; members also learn leadership skills within a group setting. AHG Troops are located in local communities across the nation. If none exists in a given area, families can bring the AHG Program to their own area. An American Heritage Girls Troop Development Coach is available to provide resources to potential Charter Organizations and other families to form a new Troop. To hear more about the purpose, mission, and vision of AHG from Founder and Executive Director Patti Garibay, click here.
Today, there are Troops in all 50 states and girls being served in 15 countries around the globe. Girls can join a Troop at any time; if a Troop is not available nearby, they can become a Trailblazer and enjoy the AHG program alongside their parent. A variety of Christian denominations are also represented as Charter Organizations for Troops. Thousands of volunteer members across the country are helping girls grow in their faith, cultivate a heart for service, enjoy the great outdoors, and have more fun than they can imagine.