During their first-ever service project, the members of Girl Scout Daisy Troop 1250 lead by example as they reached out to those most in need in their community.

The troop of 15 girls met in the library of an elementary school in Howard County to assemble 75 Blessing Bags complete with water bottles, toothbrushes, shampoos, soaps, lotions, hand sanitizers, gum, mints, razors, combs, Band-Aids, tissues, cookies and peanut butter crackers. In each bag, the girls placed handwritten notes of encouragement.

Before handing out their bags, the troop discussed intentional acts of kindness and intentional giving, emphasizing the importance of being of service to others.

They were then sent out to find people in need of their Blessing Bags. On their drives home, the girls handed out their Blessing Bags to homeless people they encountered on their routes and have continued to hand them out over the past couple weeks.

Troop parents have since made their own blessing bags — committing to hand out double the Blessing Bags next year which would reach 150 people in need.