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Jackson Regional Center Update
November 05, 2026
Girl Scouts Heart of Michigan (GSHOM) remains deeply committed to providing meaningful Girl Scout experiences and strong support for girls, families, and volunteers throughout the Jackson region. As part of our responsibility to steward resources wisely and direct more funding toward our mission, we have made the difficult decision to close the Jackson Regional Center and offer the property for sale or lease.
The Jackson Regional Center, primarily used as an office space for four full-time staff members, costs nearly $29,000 annually. Additionally, the deferred maintenance items would cost GSHOM more than $53,000. Low usage by members, low registration for programming, and high overhead costs led us to the conclusion that our precious resources could be better used in support of girls in a space other than an under-utilized office space.
The Board of Trustees and staff of Girl Scouts Heart of Michigan have been committed to keeping support local to the communities we serve, but there comes a point financially where the significant associated costs become a burden that prevents us from investing in our girls. The unfortunate facts that led us to this decision are listed below.
While the Jackson Regional Center is one of five regional centers throughout GSHOM, it served 575 girls in Membership Year (MY26), which accounted for 6.9% of GSHOM's total girl membership. This is down 28% from last year, and 69% from ten years ago. Similarly, with regard to the Jackson Regional Center’s function in supporting members through programing and retail, only about 1% of the instances of girls being served through council programming in MY26 were girls served through programs at the JRC (18 total GSHOM girls), and only about 3% of GSHOM's total Retail sales (uniforms, badges, etc.) were through the JRC's Retail store.
In MY26, Jackson hosted 13 classic programs with a total of 72 participants. 7 of the 13 events were canceled due to no/low registration (under 2 participants).
Cookie sales in the Jackson region accounted for 6.7% of GSHOM's total sales in MY26, with 412 girls participating. Additionally, many girls and troops from the Jackson region currently utilize other GSHOM regional centers for programs, cookie cupboards, and retail needs.
OPERATIONAL COSTS
- On average, the Jackson Regional Center costs approximately $28,667 per year in occupancy.
- The retail store nets $6,663 annually.
- Deferred maintenance for roof, parking lot, and signage total more than $53,000.
WHAT HAPPENS NEXT
The Jackson Regional Center will officially close its doors to the public on December 4th at 5PM ET.
Jackson staff will temporarily report to our Ann Arbor Regional Center for in person days and be available in communities for local support when needed. We are working to identify a cookie cupboard location that will be convenient for members. Local programming will continue to be offered at Camp O' The Hills, which is approximately 30 minutes from the Jackson Regional Center (in addition to all of our other properties), and with our program partners in Jackson. Retail items and print materials will be available at our other Regional Centers, and staff can transport them to in person meetings as necessary. Additionally, we offer Badge-in-a-Box programs shipped directly to your home, or Program A La Carte opportunities, where a GSHOM staff member can attend your troop meeting and conduct programming. Finally, retail items can be purchased online. Visit our council shop website.
OUR CONTINUED COMMITMENT TO JACKSON GIRLS AND VOLUNTEERS
We recognize that the Jackson Regional Center holds many special memories for generations of Girl Scouts, volunteers, and families. We deeply appreciate the dedication and commitment of everyone who has helped make this location an important part of Girl Scouting in the Jackson community. Historical artifacts will be preserved and relocated to our other Regional Centers.
Although the physical location will change, our commitment to the girls and volunteers of the Jackson region remains strong. We look forward to working together to ensure that Girl Scouting continues to provide meaningful experiences, lasting friendships, and opportunities for girls to discover their potential.
SUMMARY
While memories and history unfortunately cannot pay the bills, the good news is that Girl Scout memories are so much more than the physical space in which they are created; Girl Scout memories are created because of the special bonds shared between Girl Scout sisters. Memories are created between girls, leaders, and families, and these memories will live perpetually in our hearts.
If you have any questions or concerns about programs, membership, retail, staffing, and transition arrangements, you can direct them to the Help Desk ([email protected]). If you have feedback, concerns, or suggestions regarding continued service to the Jackson community, you can direct them to the Member Advisory Committee ([email protected]).
