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When wildfires devastated parts of San Diego, California, last October, the Girl Scouts of San Diego-Imperial Council feared its ambitious capital campaign might flame out before year’s end.

“Thirty-five Girl Scouts in our council lost their family homes, and our offices were closed for a week,” recounts council chief executive Jo Dee Jacob. “With community attention focused on aiding victims, it seemed inappropriate to ask girls and their families to contribute money to our building campaign.

“We saw our direct-mail contributions decrease significantly after the fires started on Oct. 21.” This was the second time in less than five years that a natural disaster struck. During the great cedar fire of 2003, the council lost five major structures in two mountain camps.

But, as everyone knows, Girls Scouts are always prepared. And the San Diego-Imperial Council is no exception. In January 2007, the council received a $500,000 capital challenge grant from The Kresge Foundation to cover one portion of its $5.5 million facility building and enhancement project. The grant money targeted the construction of a new multi-purpose building on the council’s 11-acre Balboa Program Center in San Diego’s lush Balboa Park.

The new facility was badly needed as a service hub for training 11,000 adult volunteers and an education center for providing activities, enrichment classes and leadership-development services for 30,000 Girl Scouts, many from diverse cultural backgrounds and underserved communities.

“We were impressed with the council’s efforts to reach out and serve the unique needs of a largely Latina population by collaborating with MANA, San Diego’s largest Latina organization, and offering culturally sensitive programming,” says Program Officer Margo Pernick.

With Kresge’s Dec. 31 challenge-grant deadline fast approaching, the council galvanized its membership in the wake of the fires through televised public-service announcements, informational DVDs, volunteer pep rallies and online solicitations. These reenergized efforts paid off. When the clock struck midnight on Dec. 31, ushering in the New Year, the council had reached its goal.

“The Kresge challenge allowed us to supercharge the public Every Family phase of our fundraising effort and to finish our ‘Girl Scouts Empowered for Life’ capital campaign after more than four years,” Jacob says. “We were able to communicate the importance of participation by everyone at some level and to add new donors while increasing gift size.”

The grant from Kresge not only “opened new doors” by generating media attention and increasing community awareness but also “validated us as a well-run, forward-thinking organization that is effectively providing opportunities for girls to grow and become leaders,” Jacob continues. “Our donors responded very enthusiastically.”

Construction of the new 6,700-square-foot multi-purpose building is well under way, and a formal dedication is planned for May 31. “The new facility will enable girls throughout San Diego and neighboring Imperial Valley, a heavily Latino agricultural area, to access the scouting program,” Jacob adds.

Outreach events, such as AIDS Education Day, the annual Faith Walk and Disability Awareness Day, will be staged indoors at the multi-purpose building rather than outdoors. The new facility also will serve as a building block for strengthening existing partnerships with MANA and Kids Included Together, a support program for physically challenged youngsters, and forging new ventures with other community groups.

Given the success of its first capital campaign, the council is ready to embark on similar fundraising ventures to meet the ongoing need for property improvements and expansion. Strengthening its individual giving program also will reduce its dependence upon the annual Girl Scout Cookie Program.

By Claudia Capos